The Girl Who Dreamed Of Stars
by FallOutGrl02
Summary: Sequel to "The Girl Who Didn't Make Sense." The Doctor knows there's only one way to end the Silence, but he also knows that will mean saying goodbye to the girl he loves. Can he stop the Silence AND get to Amy on time? Or will Rory's words come true?
1. At Your Service

**I meant to post this earlier, but I was having hardcore writer's block! :P So, here's the first chapter to my sequel of "The Girl Who Didn't Make Sense"! If you haven't read it... You should go do that. Like right now(: If you HAVE, well then thanks for sticking with me as I do my best to finish this all up! Not sure how long it's going to be. Probably a little shorter than my last one, but let's not hold anything I say against me, capische? CAPISCHE!**

**This first chapter takes place a couple months after going to Cwmtaff with Rory again. And... YEAH! Hope you like it! ENJOY!(:**

It was fear. Definitely fear. That's what was making Amy Pond push her legs forward faster and faster, what plagued her mind as she ran through street after street, trying to make her way back to the TARDIS. It was fear that the Doctor could hear so clearly from the other side of the phone that she clutched to her ear. It was supposed to be a harmless trip to Cardiff, the Doctor suggesting some fish and chips. And his companion had gladly agreed, thinking it'd be nice to have a break from all the aliens and running. Now she wanted to slap herself upside the head for even thinking her and the Doctor could go anywhere without there being trouble.

Amy ran down a street, hearing the heavy footsteps of her attacker behind her. Onlookers didn't help. They just stared after the woman with fiery hair whipped back in the English winds, a dark, mysterious figure following after her at a speedy pace, but not breaking out into a sprint like their prey. At least the citizens didn't _really _know who it was_. _Even after the Sycorax invasion at Christmas almost seven years before, humans still panicked and went into outright chaos at the sight of an extraterrestrial or otherworldly being.

Amy sped down street after street, making sharp turns in hope that the Doctor would be just around the corner. But there was still no sight of him or the TARDIS. And Amy was running out of breath. She was moving so fast, she didn't even process where she was going. Which is how she ended up in the alleyway.

The redhead ran all the way up to the wall, looking at it and hoping that the TARDIS would appear out of nowhere. Still, the screech of engines was not heard. Just Amy's own gasps for air and the sound of footsteps closing in on her. "Amelia Pond," the voice snarled. The male figure continued forward, watching with satisfaction as she backed herself up against the wall. He was muscular, someone who could definitely take Amy down in a fight. He was of a dark complexion and bald, though Amy hadn't first noticed that when he was dressed in a disguise as a common pedestrian on the sidewalk. His eyes were what drew her attention, though, and it wasn't the cold steel gray of his irises. It was the black eye patch.

Fifteen Minutes Earlier…

"You know," Amy said, after swallowing her fried chips with a swig of soda, "I've been to Planet One and America in 1969. I even been to a tiny outer bubble universe outside of this one, but I have never even been to Paris."

"Are you trying to strike up casual conversation or are you requesting the next stop?" the Doctor smiled, leaning back in the chair, "Because as I recall, _you're_ the one that picked the last two."

Amy glared, but was too busy shoving hot food down her throat to reply. When she swallowed, she spoke. "What? You suggested that we go somewhere to eat!"

"Yeah, but this is sort of like a pit stop," the Doctor argued, "Does it really count?"

"Yes." Actually, Amy was really liking this stop. There was no running or anything. It was just her and the Doctor, eating chips in a little store on Earth. It was the only bit of normalcy she'd had in the past two months, since she'd seen Rory and they'd gone to look at their former selves. Even though Amy had told the Doctor that she was fine with living out her days on the TARDIS, she still missed Earth sometimes. She still missed the family that she had two separate pieces of memory of."Oi, you! Back off!"

"I'd just like to remind you that _you_ were the one asking for chips."

"Oh, like you were really fighting for something else," Amy retorted. Nothing else had seemed good at the time and the only suggestion coming out of the Doctor's mouth was fish fingers and custard. Just imagining the blending of those flavors made the redhead's stomach churn with disgust and nausea. After a few more minutes of flirty teasing and arguing, Amy excused herself to go to the restroom, leaving the Time Lord with full access to her food. She knew they'd be gone by the time she got back. Little did she know he would be, too.

When Amy had come back, there was no one at the table and he sure wasn't standing in line for another basket. She sat back down at the booth, thinking he was probably in the men's room. But that was when she saw the napkin with a familiarly sloppy handwriting in red pen.

_Pond-_

_Left for a second. Thought I saw something. Stay there. I'll be back before you can say "Where's he gone to now?" Well, not that fast. But you get the expression!_

She rolled her eyes. He was so silly sometimes, despite his 908 years of age. Amy leaned her elbow on the table, sighing and looking at the window. At least the Doctor hadn't eaten all her chips. Amy munched with a bored expression on her face, surveying the busy street outside. There was a red flag outside the shop claiming to have the best fish and chips in the whole country, people chattering away on their cell phones and children screaming for things as they passed by shops. Despite the nostalgia she had been feeling, Amy couldn't deny that there was still that feeling that she didn't belong here. She had never believed she did, but traveling with the Doctor made it even clearer. And now she was starting to feel like a fish out of water in her own time on her own planet.

While Amy pondered on whether or not her status as a citizen of Earth was slowly diminishing, something caught her eye, a familiar face. A familiar, haunting face that had given Amy nightmares, had assisted in causing in so much pain in her life. It was Colonel Manton. And he was staring right back at her, one eye covered with the black patch. She knew the Silence had already identified her and now knew of their location. Amy flipped the napkin over, trying to hide the evidence of the Doctor's presence and began to walk out of the store, ready to sprint towards the TARDIS that was two blocks away. Oh well. Like she hadn't run further for much less.

Manton caught onto her escape all too early, though, and was walked brusquely behind her. He knew what a scene it would cause, people thinking he was some attacker. But that was exactly what he was. The people of Cardiff just wouldn't know how much bigger it was. Before Amy had left, she'd scribbled on the other side of the napkin with her black marker that she always kept in handy in case the Silence was around.

_The Silence are here. Get your bloody backside to the TARDIS. Now!_

And then out came Amy Pond from the fish fry place, heart pumping with fear and adrenaline. She turned to see that he was still in sight. His mouth was moving and Amy could only assume that he was talking to someone on the other end of his eye drive. As she ran, she began to wonder if that was why the Doctor had left. Maybe he had seen something. No. Amy quickly dismissed that idea. If it were something like the Silence, she knew the Doctor would come bursting into the ladies' room and tell her that they had to leave that instant. They had both taken the "flight" option when it came to the Silence, deciding this early on, but this was the first time they had seen a member of the religious order since the Doctor had saved Amy.

People turned heads, eyes drawn to the flash of red hair as she whizzed past in her mini skirt and boots, her own brown eyes staying focused on the blue box that was getting closer and closer. He was getting closer. She could feel him. How were people not questioning that eye patch? Who wore an eye patch these days? Then, Amy reminded herself that no one ever questioned the Doctor and he always had that ridiculous bow tie on.

As she reached the TARDIS, Amy tugged the blue door open, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked. And the Doctor had never gotten around to giving her a key. Amy's heart began to constrict with panic, her breathing coming out harder and harder. He was getting closer and she had nowhere else to go. There was only one solution. She had to keep running. So she did. And while she did that, she fished her cell phone out of her pocket, calling the Doctor, who didn't pick up until the third ring.

"Amy!" he groaned, obviously not knowing her own predicament, "I was trying to keep a low profile! I think I might have lost him…"

The woman didn't have time to ask who. She didn't even think she had enough breath to say what she needed to say. "Doctor," she cried, fear evident in her voice and she knew they could both hear it.

Instantly, the Doctor was alert. "Amy? What's wrong? What's going on?" he asked, firing question after question and not giving her a second to reply to a single one, "Are you still at the shop? Where are you?"

"I don't know where I am!" Amy answered, taking a sharp turn to the left, "I saw… I saw Manton! He's here. Doctor, he's after me and the TARDIS is locked and I don't know where you are! Where the hell did you go?"

"Go back to the TARDIS, alright? Run a big circle, but make sure you get back. I'll be there."

"I've never been to Cardiff before!" Amy reminded him, voicing her own worries. She didn't know these streets. She had never really been out of Leadworth until the Doctor came by and this was their first visit there. "I don't know where I'm going, Doctor!"

"You can do it, Amy. Just use your directional skills. You navigated through a forest full of Weeping Angels with your eyes closed!" She could tell he was on the move. She could hear wind as he picked up speed, making his way to the TARDIS.

"Doctor, I tripped and fell and River had to come save me!" She made another turn, taking a quick glance at her pursuer, who was already breaking out into a run now that she had taken them away from the main roads. Still, people looked. But they did nothing. "He's catching up! I can't do it!"

"Run, Amy! Just run!" But that was when Amy took the last turn. Right into a darkened alley. She ran to the end of it, pounding a fist on the brick wall that ended her journey and pressed her back against it as the steps neared, as if she could magically sink through the wall like a hero from the comic books.

"Amelia Pond," Manton snarled, closing in on her with a wicked grin. She heard a whimper escape from her throat, making his mouth spread even wider, "Look who's running away now."

"Doctor," she whispered.

"Amy, did you get away?"

She felt tears spring to her eyes. This was it. Either he was going to kill her or they were going to take her away again. They were going to mess with her mind and body and twist her reality. They were going to shatter her life into a million more pieces. "I love you."

"What? What are you saying?" Panic was rising up into his own voice, "Tell me where you are, Amy. I'll find you. Where. Are. You?"

Manton was only 6 feet away, and he was taking his sweet time, enjoying every little tear that was starting to well up in her brown eyes and run down her pale cheeks. She didn't reply, but clicked the phone and stuffed it into her pocket, taking a battle ready stance. Amy knew she wasn't going to win a fight with an army general. But she would rather die fighting than die sniveling in a little corner. "Manton. I'd say it's nice to see you again, but I'd rather not have my last words be a complete lie."

Colonel Manton's grin faltered, not expecting the sudden bravery in his victim, and took a large step towards Amy, closing the distance between them. Before she could even move an inch, she felt his fingers close around her throat, the back of her head hitting the cold, hard brick, and the ground from beneath her feet suddenly vanishing. She was being lifted off the ground and her lungs started to ache for more air. Amy kicked, trying to land a swift one to his stomach, but he had somehow managed to stay out of her kicking range. "Thanks for making things so much easier for us, Amelia," he spit, "Your phone will be a great tool to lock in the Doctor's signal. It'll make hunting him down and killing him so much easier."

Amy couldn't think of a smart reply, and even if she could, there was no possible way that she could say anything. Manton's vice was too tight. Her head was buzzing and starting to ache, her throat had gone numb from the pain, and Amy was losing all the energy she had to fight her way out of her situation. Yes, this was the end. She could feel it. And she wasn't sure the Doctor would be able to find her and bring her back like he had all those times before for her and Rory. And just as Amy gave up the fight, there was a loud pop that made the redhead's head twitch from the shock and loudness.

Seconds later, the grip loosened, and she could feel herself begin to slide back down to the ground. Amy looked at Manton with confusion. His eyes stared back into hers, but they weren't at all evil anymore. They were blank. They were dead. And that was when Amy felt the warmth of his blood seep into her clothes, both dropping onto the hard ground in a crumpled heap. She coughed and coughed, sucking in as much air as she could, ears ringing and eyes blinded by stars. Amy stayed kneeled on the ground for a few moments before looking up to meet her savior. She had a feeling she knew who it was though. Not the Doctor. He never used guns to kill people. No. Who else had a personal vendetta against the Silence and was just the least bit trigger happy? It had to be River.

Amy hadn't seen her since she'd left Melody and she had already forgiven her daughter for that. She just really hoped she wouldn't find out about what the Doctor and Amy had going on. She was sure the gun would turn on her. But to Amy's surprise, the voice that called out to her wasn't River's. "Hey! It's you!" It was a male voice, totally unfamiliar, and something was off about it that she was too dizzy to realize just yet. Amy opened her eyes to see, but they took a few seconds to adjust. His tone was confused and wary, yet pleasant at the same time.

"Thanks, whoever you are," she coughed, taking his rough hand as he helped her up. The first thing Amy saw was the hem of his long, dark coat. As she was lifted up face to face, the next sight that greeted her were a set of charming blue eyes and a quick, easy smile.

"Hi," he said, chuckling slightly as he helped Amy steady herself, but eyeing her with curiosity and a hint of suspicion. She finally detected what was weird about his voice. The accent. It was American. "Captain Jack Harkness at your service."

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	2. That's Not Even The Worst Of It

**Hello, all!(: I didn't mean to take so long with this next chapter, but I had to catch up in Doctor Who episodes before I wrote any further on Jack. I was only halfway through the third series (started at the fifth, watched the sixth, and now I'm playing catch up) and I've only watched the first two series of Torchwood. But I'm on working on Series 4 for Doctor Who now! And just did online research for whatever else I needed to know. :P **

**Anyways, I'm hoping I portrayed Jack well. So far, my reviewers have told me I've done a decent job. So, let's hope you agree(: Also, I know that this may seem like a random kind of meeting, but by the end, you'll see a little bit of why it's important. Not the WHOLE of why it's important that they meet like this, but one of the smaller reasons! **

**Remember that a review gets you a sneak peek to the next chapter! Alright. Done talking! ENJOY!**

Amy didn't recognize the name or the handsome face, but he seemed to recognize her. She had seen the flash of recognition in his eyes and the reaction he'd had upon seeing her that led the redhead to believe that they had met before. "Sorry," she apologized, hand moving to the back of her sore head, "But do I know you?"

"I just saw you down the street telling me there was someone being attacked in the alley," Jack informed her, "Which is why I'm wondering how you got _here_. Or… Should I say 'there'?"

Amy knew instantly .The Doctor probably took her back in time to take part in her own rescue, and this Jack Harkness was the man she had talked to. She wasn't sure how to explain time travel and all its complicating time loops, but she didn't have the chance to utter another single word before a familiar sound filled her ears. It was the TARDIS with the screeching of her brakes as she appeared before the pair. It was her Time Lord, arriving just a bit late. What else was new, though?

"No," Jack whispered, as the light of the phone box flickered, its image finally becoming solid, "What is _he _doing here?"

"You know the Doctor?" she asked, squinting her eyes in confusion. Even though she knew the Doctor was centuries old and had had friends before she came along, she'd never really met one of them, unless you counted the girl from Demon's Run. So, who was this man? Was he just a brief acquaintance? Or were these two actually close? Did they travel together?

The American snapped his head back in direction. "_You_ know who the Doctor is?"

"Duh," Amy snorted, "I'm his…" She trailed off, not sure what to call herself. She wasn't sure if the Doctor had done this kind of thing with his other companions before, but the redhead highly doubted it considering the amount of time and nudging it took for him to finally make a move on her. "Companion, I guess," she finished, playing off the hesitation with a shrug.

"Amy?" a voice called from inside the box, just as the blue door flew open and a man in tweed tumbled out. His sonic was raised, threateningly, and his face was set into a frightening glare that he saved for the enemies he wasn't giving a second chance to. Little did the Doctor know that there was really no threat at all anymore. It took him a second to look around his surroundings, finding Manton dead on the ground and Amy alive and well. Then he spotted Jack.

The man could tell the Time Lord was having a hard time not to drag Amy into the time machine and bolt off without him. He was a fixed point in time and Time Lords had that instinct to run away from things like him. Still, Jack couldn't help but laugh at the Doctor before him, so unlike his other past faces he'd seen him in. This one was tall and lanky with long limbs that made awkward movements. His hair was long and drooped over one eye, the rest in complete disarray. And then there was his clothing: tweed, suspenders, and a _bow tie_. "Doctor?" Jack said through light laughter, "What are you _wearing_?"

"I ask him that every day," Amy sighed, looking at the Doctor with complete happiness. She had escaped death once again, even when it had felt so close to the end.

"Hello, Jack," the Doctor replied, clearing his throat and straightening his jacket.

"Hello, Doctor," he nodded, that smile still present on his face, "New face, I see. And a lovely new companion." Jack turned to Amy. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't tell you," she replied, crossing her arms with slight suspicion, her eyes moving back and forth between the Doctor and the strange Captain Jack Harkness. She knew the Doctor regenerated, seeing as he had just about done it on Lake Silencio in front of her, but the redhead had never seen any of his older faces. Once, after she had kissed him, she had tricked the Time Lord into showing her his long list of companions, but they were all just faces, moving so quickly she barely caught any of them. Amy wondered if Jack's face was among those that she had missed. "It's Amy, Amy Pond."

"Oh, I can tell she has a little bite on her," he laughed, "Amy Pond, a redhead with a fiery attitude. Pleasure to meet you. Really." Jack held out his hand and Amy shook it, but the man didn't seem to be letting go anytime soon.

"That's enough with the handshaking, I think!" the Doctor broke in, clearing his throat. Amy could see a flash of irritation in his eyes. "Honestly, must you flirt with _every_ living thing within eyesight?" The Doctor could see that his old friend hadn't changed a bit. Yes, he was a bit of a fixed point, but the Time Lord was just going to have to get used to it over time if they kept meeting up like this. He was surprised the TARDIS had even let him land since Jack was right there. She, too, felt uneasy around him.

"Do you ever think that I'm _really_ just saying 'hello'?"

"Nope!"

Amy watched the two men, withdrawing her hand and crossing it once again. She felt very left out, like a third wheel, and couldn't help but wonder if that was what Rory had always felt like. Before she had a chance to ask, the Doctor was already guiding her and their newfound guest into the TARDIS and taking them back to the shop. Their table was untouched, the napkin with scribble messages on either side still there. Their food was still warm as well and it wasn't hard to guess that it had probably only been about five minutes since she had left and been chased down by Colonel Manton. The TARDIS was safely hidden in the alley and the three sat back at the table, Amy watching Jack and the Doctor catch up on old times.

"So," Jack said, taking a chip in his hand and eyeing the Doctor carefully, "Why were you following me?"

"You saw me?" The Doctor's mouth stayed slightly open and his eyes widened.

"Of course I did," he replied, easily, "I didn't know you were you, though. But you can't really miss a bow tie. Seriously, what is with it?"

"They're cool!"

Amy rolled her eyes, taking a sip from her drink. She felt she could safely assume that the Doctor had followed Jack, and that was where he had run off to when she'd come out of the restroom. She remembered when they were dealing with the Dream Lord, when they didn't even know that Upper Leadworth wasn't real, and the Doctor had said that he had dropped by to visit. But Rory and Amy had known that wasn't his thing. Is this what he did then when he was by a friend? Did he just watch them without interfering? Amy began wondering if the Doctor had ever watched her from afar when they had said goodbye to one another after the incident with the Minotaur. "So, what's the story with you?" Amy asked, resting her elbows on the table and looking across into blue eyes. They had a certain quality that the Doctor's had, that Rory sometimes had flashes of. They were old eyes. Not nearly as old as Rory or the Doctor, but she could tell that Jack had seen and done things throughout many years, more years than what his appearance would have her guess.

"I used to travel with the Doctor," Jack explained, "He took me in after I sort of almost killed the human race during World War II-"

"What?" she interrupted.

"I was a con man," he went on, "And one of my cons went bad. Of course, he had a completely different face and a completely different companion with him." Jack ignored the glare that the Doctor was shooting at him. He obviously hadn't talked to Amy about Rose, but maybe that was a good thing. Martha had always felt like she was living in the shadow of Rose and it had contributed a lot to her choice in leaving. Amy didn't seem to notice anything wrong, so he continued on with his story of his travels with the Doctor, telling her about Bad Wolf and becoming immortal (managing to just refer to Rose as "her," "she," and "the Doctor's companion at the time"), about the year that never happened and the brilliant plan they'd taken a year to complete in order to defeat the Master, and then when he had joined forces with the Doctor yet again to defeat the Daleks. "The last time I saw this guy was at a bar. I was feeling pretty down, but there he was, turning up out of the blue like he always does," Jack finished.

"I played a bit of a matchmaker that night," the Doctor added proudly, shoving another chip in his mouth and waggling his eyebrows at Amy. He noticed that she was really enjoying Jack's stories and he knew why. Though they were the best of friends, she didn't really know much about his past. He never liked to talk about it and she never pressured him into telling her. It was another thing about Amy that he liked. She didn't demand to know his life story like many of his other companions had. Sometimes, Amy would do it accidentally, like when she asked what the Time Lords prayed to or how the Doctor had become the last Time Lord, but she wouldn't persist. Maybe because she knew that it hurt him to remember. Still, the Doctor knew that it hurt her sometimes when he didn't tell her things and she had to find out for herself, because he knew absolutely everything about her. He shook his head, trying not to dwell and kept a perky expression on his face. "How did that work out with Alonso?"

"Oh, it worked out _great_," Jack chortled and Amy smirked at the Doctor's uncomfortable glance away from the table, "I mean, we're not anything serious, but if we happen to be in the same area-"

"You can stop there, Jack."

"But Alonso is a guy, yeah?" Amy asked, not really treading the subject as carefully as most would. Jack exuded confidence and she expected that he wouldn't be bothered much by it. She had heard the undertone of Jack's voice, but she also remembered the slight flirtation he had directed towards her. "Are you… What? All of the above?"

Jack burst out in laughter, unable to respond, so the Doctor answered her, who was also trying to hold back his laughter, "He's from the 51st century, Amy. People from that time are more… Liberal with that kind of thing. Same gender and inter-species couples are quite common during that era."

"Yes, 'all of the above,'" Jack echoed, breathlessly, his laughter dying down, "Perfect. Speaking of inter-species… Are you two…? Y'know?"

Amy and the Doctor glanced at one another and shifted their bodies away. They had never told anyone about their new status, mainly because they weren't sure what it was. They knew that they were in a relationship, but Amy couldn't help but laugh at the thought of associating the title of "boyfriend" to the Doctor. It just didn't seem to fit him. And the Doctor didn't know what to call Amy, either. He felt like "girlfriend" was also too weird and immature for a 908 year old alien to use.

"Doctor, Doctor, Doctor," Jack tisked, not needing to hear them confirm or deny it, because the mood had definitely changed with those two, something that made it quite obvious to the captain what the answer to his question was, "I didn't know you had a thing for the redheads! And Martha and I never thought you'd ever get over R-"

"Jack," the Doctor interrupted, his tone threatening. Rose was a part of his past, a part of his past that he didn't like to dwell on very much. He had loved Rose Tyler like he had never loved any human before. But things were different. This was a different body and then he had met Amy. Amy, who did much more than make him forget about all the bad things for and make him see the universe like it was brand new. All his companions had that effect on the Time Lord. Rose had been more what with her kindness and bravery and knack to see the little things that the Doctor had always missed, but Amy was also kind and brave and saw things he couldn't. Like with the star whale or when she had stopped Professor Edwin Bracewell from exploding the planet by talking to him about love and making him feel just as human as he wanted to be. Rose had made her choice in picking his duplicate, while it was Amy who stuck with him through everything. She was the girl who waited and he knew that if he ever left her again, she wouldn't stop.

"Who's he talking about?" Amy asked, curiously.

"No one," the Doctor answered, immediately, "Just an old companion of mine."

"I thought I was special," she joked with a mock pout. The redhead wasn't really jealous. She was more interested than anything. She was always baffled by the idea that all his friends could leave him. How could they give this up?

His eyes softened and the corners of his mouth turned up just slightly. Anyone else would have demanded information. Anyone else would have made him explain and relive the pain he'd had in losing a woman he had once loved and a friend he still missed. "You are, Amelia Pond," he murmured, "And don't you forget it."

"Since when did you get so cheesy?" Jack asked, wrinkling his face in pretend disgust. The man observed the two. He had always wished for Rose and the Doctor to get up the guts to tell each other how they felt, being the sole witness to a lot of their emotionally-charged tension. With Amy, he could see that the Doctor had learned his lesson, that he wasn't going to let her get so easily away. A little part of his heart sighed in sadness at the memory of the fallen Ianto. It had been all too late before they finally said those three words to each other. And then that man was taken away from him.

The three continued chatting in the shop even an hour or so after they had finished their food and drinks. The Doctor told Jack about his travels since they'd last seen each other with a lot of Amy's commentary that always resulted in a few moments of banter, and Jack told the Doctor and Amy about how his Torchwood team had fallen and how he was just starting to put it back together again. Of course, the woman from Leadworth didn't know what Torchwood was at all, so the men had to explain to her how Cardiff was right on top of a rift in time and space and the Torchwood team regulated it. Amy laughed when she learned that it was all the Doctor's doing on why the organization existed and even asked if they could go see the office.

"Maybe another time," the Doctor replied, checking the wrist on his watch, "Actually, I do need to talk to you about something that I'd like to have you look into, Jack. It's about the rift, actually-"

"This sounds boring already," Amy groaned. She yawned, starting to feel a little tired despite it being only 7 o' clock. Then again, she had been running quite a lot _and_ had almost died. Not even a basket of chips could help someone with recovering from that.

"It'll only take a few moments, Amy," the Doctor assured her, as they got up and made their way down the nearby alley to the TARDIS.

"Don't forget to tell me where you are," Jack reminded her, further explaining when the woman gave him a blank look, "Remember? Saving you from that eye patch guy? _You_ were the one who told me where to go."

"Oh, right!" she nodded, snapping her finger and heading into the TARDIS, "It was great to meet you, Captain Jack Harkness."

"Likewise," he smiled, "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll see each other soon. It's the jawline. Once seen, always yearned for."

Amy simply laughed, heading into the warm orange light of the TARDIS. The Doctor and Jack stood outside as the door closed, feeling the cool evening air and smelling the salt of the nearby ocean. When the Doctor was sure that Amy wasn't coming back out, he met Jack's blue eyes. "I take it you're not going to offer me another trip?" Jack guessed, but they both knew that he wouldn't take it anyways. He didn't need the Doctor coming in and making his life more off kilter than it already was.

"I have a job for you, Captain," the Time Lord said, voice low and completely serious as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Jack watched as he rocked back and forth on his feet, awaiting his next words. "I need you to find anything you have on a place called Trenzalore. I'm not sure if it's a planet or what. But if you have anything in your files on it, I want to know about it. Try to get Martha to look in the UNIT files while you're at it." The Doctor still wasn't pleased with Jack working with Torchwood, despite him changing how it was run in a way the Time Lord would be pleased. The organization made him feel uneasy and though Canary Wharf had been quite some time ago, he wouldn't and couldn't forget all the lives lost because of that day. And Torchwood could be given much of the blame. Still, his job in this branch could work in the Doctor's favor and he wasn't above using the connection.

"If you don't mind me asking," Jack began, "Why? What is Trenzalore?"

"Actually, I do mind you asking," the Doctor replied, a smile on his face that said he wasn't going to tell Jack anything so he might as well quit trying, "But it's very important, and I'm asking you as a friend to help me."

"Of course I'll do it," Jack answered, as though it was obvious, "I'll talk to Martha, too. But I can't promise anything."

"Thank you," the alien murmured, looking at Jack with kind eyes.

Jack returned the look, before lighting up with humor, "Look at me, slowly aging, and you getting younger with each new face. And Amy's great. You look… Happier. Since the last time I saw you anyways."

"The last time you saw me, I was dying from radiation poisoning," the Doctor chuckled.

"Even before then. I haven't seen you this happy since Rose."

The Doctor didn't say anything, starting to feel his smile lose feeling as he stared at the ground. Jack almost regretted saying something, but he knew it was worth being said. When the Doctor finally looked up, they stare at one another for a moment, remembering all the times they had run and knowing there were probably much more to come. He was a Time Lord that lived for centuries and Jack was immortal. While Torchwood members and companions came and went, they would always have each other to go back to, because they were in the same boat. They both were men who had lived far too long and knew it, but couldn't find the heart or will to try and end it.

After a few moments, Jack raised his arm in a stiff salute and the Doctor nodded, turning around into the warm TARDIS and closing the blue door behind him. Jack stayed where he was, letting the wind swish through his hair and clothes as the screech of the TARDIS, that familiar screech that sounded like nothing else Jack had ever heard of, echo through his ears. As the TARDIS disappeared, Jack fished into his coat pocket for his cell phone, immediately dialing Martha Jones' number. It rang twice before he could hear his friend's voice on the other side. "Hello?"

"Martha, it's me Jack. I have a job for you. But first… You'll never believe who I just ran into."

"No," she whispered, and he could hear Mickey's voice in the background. She was a freelance, so no doubt they were either on a mission or safe at home. "How is he?"

"New face," Jack sighed, "And completely in love with a girl he's travelling with. It was sort of disgustingly mushy."

"No bloody way!" Martha cried, laughing. Even though she had once had a crush on the Doctor, she had been really happy for the Time Lord's reunion with Rose. And now any feeling for him was gone. She had truly moved on, just like she had hoped she would when she first left the TARDIS. "What's she like then?"

"Scottish, red hair, and has some _amazing_ legs," he chuckled, hearing her sigh and knowing she was smiling with amusement and shaking her head. His tone grew serious. "But that's not even the worst of it, Martha."

"What?" she asked, a hint of concern leaking into her voice.

Jack took a long moment before he said into the cell phone, "He wears a bow tie."

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	3. The World Is Headed For Hell

**Hello, all! Sorry for the long interval-y thing. Been sort of stressed out with school and well... Life. :P Not to mention, I'm working on two other stories, so my brain is constantly like "...Bleh." ANYWAYS, hope the wait was worth it. This is sort of the beginning of an adventure, so expect some action and such next chapter. Also, thanks to all those that reviewed! Seriously, so sweet and I'm glad that all you have stuck through for the sequel!(: **

**Alright, now before we get down to reading, just know that I don't own Doctor Who... Obviously. Or else it would look something like this. xD And... REVIEW! Because then you get a sneak peek thing and a cool conversation with ME! Okay. Done talking now. That's it! ENJOY!**

"What's the end of Earth like?" Amy asked one day. The Doctor was sitting in the swing underneath the TARDIS, playing at wires as his companion sat on the ground nearby, perching her head on her elbow and her elbows on her knees. They had been fixing the TARDIS for a good two hours or so, but it seemed much longer to Amy, who had passed the time making fun of how ridiculous he looked not only with the bow tie, but also with those steampunk goggles strapped to his skull.

The Doctor continued tinkering until something sparked, something that wasn't supposed to spark. "Oh, that's not good. That's very, very not good. I wonder if I can reverse that," he mused to himself, and then moments later, "I got it! I think."

Amy tried again, "Have you been there?"

"Hm?"

"The end of the world?" she repeated, "You said you've seen the beginning and end of everything. Wouldn't that include Earth?"

"Uh, well, yes. I've been there," the Doctor answered, "But don't worry. The humans move on way before that. By the time the world ends there's only one purebred human left, though I can tell you that when I saw her there was hardly anything left that hadn't been operated on."

"What do you mean?"

"She was just skin stretched out like a canvas, all hooked up to machinery," he explained, "Beautiful technology she was using, but she wasn't a very nice person. She tried taking over my companion at the time, but that was one regeneration later and on New Earth, not 'Apocalyptic, burning Earth.'"

Amy's mouth twisted in disgust at the idea, wondering how anyone could live like that. But then, she was taken over with curiosity. Ever since meeting Jack, Amy had started to wonder about all the other companions the Doctor had had, feeling like she wanted to meet them. He hardly ever told stories about them, only mentioning them in stories like this as "my companion at the time." Amy began to joke with herself that before long, he was going to refer to Rory as such. She avoided the idea that he'd ever have to use the term for her when there was someone else here to keep him company. Because Time Lords lived much longer than a human, and her forever meant a completely different forever than his. Amy decided to press the issue a bit, test the waters to see how willing he was to go. "Which companion? Jack?"

"No," he answered, distractedly, pulling at a wire he didn't remember the purpose of, "This was just before I met Jack."

"So, who'd you go with?"

"Does it matter?"

"I don't know. Does it?"

He stopped to glare at her, starting to pick up on it. Usually, Amy stopped when she could feel his walls building up, big, scary walls loaded with heavy security. At this point, though, there was still an urge to pick at him, to try to chisel a hole in that wall. "Amy, don't you have something better to do?"

"Nope," she said, popping the "p." She decided to take a different approach. "So, what happens on December 21st, 2012? Because everyone back in my time says that's the day we're off. But I've been to 2020, twice."

"It's just a day like any other, I suppose," the Doctor said, dropping a tool to the ground. Amy winced slightly at the clanging sound it made as it clattered to the floor. He flipped up his aviator goggles and shrugged at her. "Never been there, actually. I didn't quite see the purpose when I've been to Earth millions of years ahead of the apparent 'end of the world.'" The Doctor swung a little bit longer, both momentarily silent before he hopped off and started up the stairs.

"Doctor?"

"Come along, Pond!" Amy rolled her eyes, lifting herself up and following the Doctor up the metal stairs back to the console. When she reached the top, that madman was already spinning around the room, pulling random levers so fast that Amy began to wonder, as she always did, if he even knew which controls he was pushing, or if he was just winging it. She wouldn't be surprised if it really were the latter.

"I thought you had to tune up the TARDIS," she groaned, pretending to be a little annoyed with the Doctor's change of pace and activity. They both knew she was actually overjoyed at the thought of not having to sit there and watch him whisper sweet nothings to the ship while he worked for hours that seemed all too endless.

"Yeah, I finished that ages ago," the Doctor replied, flippantly, "I was just trying to make some upgrades while I was down there. Time for an adventure!"

She didn't even bring up the fact that she had had to sit there for almost two and a half hours when they could've been off doing something. She just glided her hand over the railing of the outer circle around the TARDIS. "Where?"

"Oh, Pond!" the Doctor cried, pulling the last lever and sending the TARDIS rocketing through the time vortex, both him and his companion gripping onto whatever they had nearby. "Haven't you figured that one out yet?"

* * *

><p><span>December 21<span>st, 2012 London, England

"See?" the Doctor said, just as Amy followed him out the door of the TARDIS, "It's just a regular day on Earth. Well, as normal as it gets for you humans." Amy elbowed him in defense for her race, but they both smiled. The streets were busy, yet no one had stopped when the Doctor had parked the time machine. They just walked on as if that police box, which was from a whole other century, had been there every day.

The sky was absolutely clear and sunny, the air peculiarly warm for it being in late December. Amy didn't seem to mind, though. She wasn't really dressed for snow, anyways, since the Doctor hadn't exactly told her where they were going. _Again_. The Doctor noticed, though, and he knew it was way too hot to just be some natural fluke. He raised his sonic screwdriver in the air, moving it up and down and taking a few steps either way to take a reading of the temperature.

"What are you doing?" the redhead asked, hand on her hip as she looked over at the alien waving his sonic. She took at the London Eye longingly. She'd never actually been on it, but it had always been something she wanted to do. "Come on. Let's go on the big wheel!" She rushed over to the Doctor, pulling on his jacket, but he stayed put.

"Amelia, do you not feel the temperature?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, so what?" she sighed, really hating that he broke out "Amelia." He usually only used it when he worried, but he was starting to use it more than he usually did. Amy really hoped he wasn't making it into a habit. "It's a nice day."

"Yes, _too _nice, don't you think?" he replied quickly, narrowing his eyes and studying their surroundings.

"Only _you_ would complain about the weather being _too_ nice!" she snapped, crossing her arms in annoyance.

The Doctor locked back into Amy, giving an exasperated sigh. "It's December, four days before Christmas," he pointed out, "So, tell me why there are no clouds or snow. Tell me why, according to the sonic, it is 31.6 degrees Celsius out here!"

His companion paused. Was it really _that _warm? He was right, though she wasn't going to outright say it in case the Doctor gave her a smug reply, but he was. This was too warm for December, and though she had initially enjoyed it and not been bothered at all, Amy knew that something must be up. "What are you thinking?" Amy asked.

"I'm thinking the Mayans might have stopped at this day for a reason," he replied, looking around him at the tall building and people passing by with wonder and suspicion. What was happening here? "But what's happening?"

"We're going to have to go out and find the big, scary alien who's responsible this time, aren't we?" she sighed, taking one last glance at the turning wheel before fully facing the Doctor, who returned her slightly annoyed look with one that looked wickedly mischievous.

"Let's go out and find the big, scary alien who's responsible for it this time!" he cheered.

They split up, the Doctor following the strong readings and Amy asking pedestrians if there had been anything strange other than the sudden change in climate. The Time Lord made sure Amy kept her cell phone off silent and in her pocket, ready for a call if he found something and ready to ring him up for help if she ran into trouble again. He knew the Silence were still after him and Amy, and the thought of splitting up really put him at unease, but the Doctor was starting to get a fishy feeling about this, more so than he was letting on to his companion. Amy talked to Londoner after Londoner, but no one knew what on Earth the young woman was talking about. There were some that laughed at her, thinking she was one of the people who believed the world was going to crumble all around the human race that day. Little did they know that there was a slight chance that that could really happen. The sonic screwdriver was having a hard time assessing the readings for the origin of the biological changes, but the Doctor knew something was up. This heat just didn't make sense.

Amy had been searching hopelessly, until a young boy passed by her, staring straight at her as he passed. There was something that had caught her brown eyes as he walked by in the bright sunlight, something that had immediately drawn her attention to him, but she didn't know what. Neither broke contact, but something flicked out of the boy's mouth, just a tiny bit. She was instantly reminded of a snake of some sort, but thought that maybe it was the trick of an eye. The daring, adventurous part of Amy Pond told her to follow him and see anyways. She waited a few moments before there was distance between her and the child, beginning to quietly pursue him through the streets. She had to be careful not to let anyone know, especially not him. Amy knew how creepy it must seem to others if they noticed a grown woman stalking a 13 year old boy.

They went through street after street, the sun beating down on Amy, but she didn't seem to notice. She was only dressed in a striped tank top under a leather jacket, her usual mini skirt, dark tights, and boots. Still, the leather should have been retaining the heat and making her even the tiniest bit warm. It wasn't long until he rounded a corner, but when Amy turned, all she saw was a lit up alleyway littered with trash from people who had missed the nearby dumpster that was up against the brick wall. The boy was gone, and the only explanation the redhead had for it was that he was hiding in the trash. Slowly, she inched towards the giant, blue bin, throwing up the black plastic to reveal nothing but garbage and the stench of discarded food molding in the heat.

Her face scrunched up in disgust, catching a big whiff of the odor and immediately backed away from the trash. As she backed away, though, Amy felt herself trip on something. "Oof!" the ginger grunted, landing on her bottom, hands coming away with light scratches and the indentation of the concrete that they had landed on. She moved her legs, trying to see what was it that had brought her fall and noticed that it was the opening to the sewers, the lid not shut all the way. It didn't need much brain power to realize that was where the boy had gone.

* * *

><p>The Doctor felt his small phone ring in his pocket. It was the same one he had used in Sardicktown on Christmas Eve when he was saving Amy and Rory from the crashing star cruise ship. It was just a thin little thing with a main earpiece and microphone to talk out of, but the Doctor sort of liked the steampunk style it had to it that matched the TARDIS' most recent upgrade. Even if Amy said it looked ridiculous.<p>

"Amy?" he asked. Who else would it be?

"Doctor, I think I found something," she whispered, and he could hear something else in the background, like drips of water and an echo of her own voice. Where was she?

"Amy, it sounds like you're in a tunnel of some sort," the Doctor said, tone slightly worried. He probably shouldn't have let them split up. Amy always managed to do something foolish. "What are you doing this time?"

"Oi!" she loud whispered, "Shut up and maybe you won't have to ask! There was this boy that I saw on the street. Anyways, I ended following him… Into the sewers."

The man in tweed's eyes suddenly popped open, realizing why his sonic screwdriver had seemingly taken him on a wild goose chase. He had thought the screwdriver was pointing at nothing, when in fact; it was the Doctor that wasn't looking hard enough. The readings were coming from beneath the ground in the sewers. And now Amy was there, stalking around their base. "Get out of there," he tried to say calmly, "Find the nearest exit and tell me what street you're at."

"Why? It's just a boy, Doctor," the redhead reasoned, "Even if it's not, I _think_ I can handle one measly alien."

"Amelia Pond, you are currently in their hideout. We have no idea what they are, but I can assure you that there is more than just _one_. One alien couldn't control the climate like this. There has to be more." The Doctor winced when he was through, knowing that that probably wasn't the best way to tell Amy that she could possibly be surrounded by hostile aliens, but it wasn't the first time he had laid it out so bluntly, and the redhead preferred it that way anyways. She didn't like being treated like a child.

He could feel her moving, air rushing past her as she ran, the clang of metal as her boots climbed up a ladder to the surface. Then, he heard a yelp. "Amy?" the Doctor cried, "Amy! What's happening? _What's happening_!"

There was no answer.

* * *

><p><strong>Look! I learned to use horizontal lines! :D<strong>

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	4. Burning to the Ground

**I know I promised to post this by like... Yesterday, but I really didn't like where it ended. This was supposed to be a four-parter kind of adventure thing, but I decided that I didn't like the spot I stopped at and that four chapters was just too much for ONE adventure. So, I combined it. Hence why this chapter is 3 times my usual word count!**

** Now, we're going to find out just what is in the sewers of London, why it's hot like July when Christmas is just around the corner, and we also get to see what happened to Amy while she was on the phone with the Doctor!**

** Two last things. I don't own any of this and... REVIEW TO GET A SNEAK PEEK! Okay. Done talking! Enjoy!**

"Amy?" the Doctor yelled into the phone, panicking. He started running back to where Amy and him had last been, but really, she could be anywhere in the tunnel system. She could be right beneath his feet for all he knew. "Amy? Are you still there?" There was still silence on the other end. The Doctor's heart rate quickened and he could feel the fear in his eyes. "Amy, please answer me!" Still no answer. "No, no, no! No! Come on, Pond! Be there! Say something!" He waited a few more moments before he squeezed his phone, ending the call and scanning the street. There. Just a few meters away was a sewage hole. Amy wasn't answering, meaning she was probably captured by whatever was in those sewers. And he was going to save her.

The Doctor reached the lid, lifting in and dropping in, ignoring people's looks as they watched a strange man in tweed drop into the underground tunnels. The lid closed, and the Time Lord let his eyes adjust to the darkness for a few seconds, listening to the drips of water, that echoed off the tunnel's walls. The air was cold, and it being a sewer, smelled. Still, it beat a star whale's mouth any day. "Amy?" the Doctor whispered, taking tentative steps towards the right, just following his gut instinct. With no other information, that was all he could follow anyways. "Amy, can you hear me?"

The Doctor listened closely, at first hearing nothing more than the drops of water, but then there was a sort of shuffling. Someone was there. "Amy, is that you?" The Doctor had his sonic screwdriver ready in case it wasn't the Scottish ginger he was looking for, but rather the enemy. There was no answer, just continued shuffling, sounding much closer, like it was just around the corner. He took a few steps forward, trying to make his feet as quiet as possible, but it was sort of hard what with the water that his shoes couldn't help but splash in.

There was more silence, the tension and adrenaline of adventure in the air. If Amy weren't possibly in trouble somewhere, he might actually have taken a bit of pleasure in the good fun. The Doctor had yet to meet a sewer monster that liked to mess with the weather. He took a couple steps more, edging closer to the corner from where the shuffling had come from. And then he heard it again, but there was something wrong with it. It sounded farther now, but like it was still coming closer. Shuffling became footsteps and just as the Doctor pieced together what was so wrong, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, his eyes closing, body falling onto the cold, wet floor beneath him. The sound had been coming from behind him.

* * *

><p>Amy covered her mouth, quickly, remembering that she had to be quiet, that she had to remain unnoticed. As she slipped down the ladder, she could hear the Doctor squabbling. She wondered if he had even noticed she wasn't present in the conversation anymore. "Amy, are you still there?"<p>

"Oh, will you hold on?" she grumbled, reaching her cell phone, the one she had dropped. She tried to shake the water off it, but Amy knew she was probably going to have to get a new one what with this having slight water damage. She held the phone up to her ear. "Alright, alright! I just dropped my phone." She didn't wait for a response, but heard it somewhat muffled as she shoved it back in her pocket and climbed her way out to the streets.

Of course, there were people staring, people wearing tank tops and bathing suits in December. Yeah, she was the weird one. The redhead straightened her skirt, clearing her throat as an old couple passed her with judgment and confusion written all over their faces. Right after they passed, Amy turned her attention back to the phone. "-ome on, Pond!" his voice cried, seeming to have been talking a bit before, though Amy hadn't quite caught it, "Be there! Say something!"

"Oi, will you shut up and quit fussin'?" Amy sighed, "I'm up, alright? The cross streets are-" She was interrupted by a _click_, one that she knew signified as a finished call. The Doctor had hung up on her. The woman looked all about her, wondering if he were maybe somewhere around and finding the point of talking unnecessary, though that seemed unlikely. He would have said something. "Doctor?" she called into the phone, but she knew it was useless. There was no one on the other line.

Amy snapped her phone shut, crossing her arms and closing her eyes with frustration. He was nowhere to be found and she had had no idea where on Earth that idiot could have run off to. The best solution was to call him again. But her phone was _way_ too damaged. Obviously, it was too broken by the sewage water for her end of the call to be heard. Still, she attempted to make an outgoing call, and all that happened was a huge glitch in the screen. "Perfect," Amy spat, cursing her stupid phone that just _had_ to go land in a puddle. Her brown eyes scanned the street. She was only a couple blocks away from where the TARDIS had originally landed and the pair had split up. Maybe the Doctor had gone back to meet her there.

Amy started walking in the direction of the TARDIS, preparing herself for a lecture from the Doctor about going in somewhere alone and how stupid and dangerous that was. He'd been doing that a lot lately, being more protective than he usually was. Of course, the Doctor always wanted Amy safe and did very well at the job considering the amount of trouble the redhead always seemed to find herself in. Still, the Doctor had been acting stranger than he usually was, if that were at all possible. Sometimes, she caught him looking at her, and the way he did… It was like he was still trying to save her from something, even if she was in no danger at all at that point in time, even if they were just lying in bed, warm under the blankets and curled up in each other's arms. He had done it just the other morning, kissing her forehead as her eyes fluttered open, starting to wake up. She had pulled him into a slightly deeper kiss, neither caring about the fact that they hadn't gone to brush their teeth yet. "_I love you,_" she had smiled, one hand caressing his cheek.

"_I love you too, Pond_." Usually, those words brought comfort to Amy, but not that time. Because she had been looking into his eyes when he said it, those old, green eyes that had seen almost anything and everything all across the universe and all throughout time. And they had looked at her like she was a fragile piece of glass, like she was something he could so easily lose or break, like she could slip away from his arms at any second and never come back.

She kept on walking, looking around for familiar building that told her which way to turn, which direction she was and whether or not she was getting close to the blue time machine. She looked at people who passed by, waving newspapers and fans in their sweaty faces to cool down, many having red skin from exposure to the sun. Amy remembered when her mother had told her the story of Noah's ark, and how God had promised not to end the world with another flooding the next time, but to have it go down in flames. Was this the end of the world? And if it was, how could the Mayans have possibly predicted it? Before she could brainstorm any longer, Amy noticed something as she stared at the hot concrete on the street. It was a partially open sewage lid, and it wasn't one that she had gone through.

Had the Doctor gone looking for her? Amy glanced around, wondering if there would be any witnesses. Luckily, someone jumped in and saved her, though it was quite unknowingly. "Don't tell me you're going down there, too." Amy turned to see an old lady shuffle towards the redhead. She was small in height, 8 inches or so smaller than the younger woman. She seemed to be Indian, what with the accent and the creamy, brown skin tone. She wore a loose dress, something that _still_ looked a little too hot for the weather, though Amy couldn't really judge. She was wearing a leather jacket, after all, but wasn't actually drenched in her own sweat like she should be. Maybe it wasn't _that_ hot. No, she knew it was. She could still feel it, the heat rising off her, and strangely, Amy could even feel something beneath the earth, like something was completely wrong. "That strange man in the suit went down there, too. Neither of you look like you work with sewage."

Amy ignored the suspicious look and the interrogative turn this conversation was taking. The man in the tweed jacket was obviously the Doctor, and he had gone down into the sewer to get Amy. She could go down there and look for him, but she was unsure of which turns he had taken, not to mention how far he had gotten. Amy was sure the Doctor would have turned back around if he hadn't seen her for a minute or so of walking in the tunnels. "When?" she asked, turning to the woman, "How long ago do you think it was?"

The old lady shrugged, "I'd say about… 8 minutes? Why?"

Either the Doctor was lost somewhere in the sewers, or he was in serious trouble. Either way, Amy was going to have to dive back into the base of their unknown enemy, inhale that foul stench and feel the sewage water splash onto her bare legs. "Oh, just have to figure out how far he could have gotten," Amy replied, lifting the lid.

"You're not allowed in there!" the woman cried, "I already called the police!" Amy ignored her, slipping her tall, thin body into the hole in the ground, overwhelming herself with darkness once again. She really hoped he hadn't run into any trouble, but that seemed to be one of the Doctor's favorite hobbies. Amy sighed, beginning her search through the sewers underneath London.

* * *

><p>When the Doctor first opened his eyes, all was fuzzy, reminding him a bit of the time that Amy had attacked him with a cricket bat. He blinked a few times, trying to focus his eyes on his surroundings. It was still dark where he was, but there was a dim, red light that lit up whatever room he was in. A shadow passing quickly by made the light flicker, the weird shuffling sound so close now, right next to him. The Doctor tried to move, but couldn't. He was chained to the wall.<p>

"Who are you?" the Doctor called out, ready to investigate, even if he was being held captive. He knew he could get out anyways, but this was better, them not knowing how big a threat he was. No one could ever imprison the Doctor for very long, except for maybe the Pandorica and that prison they were building around him in Area 51 during the '60s, but even then, he'd escaped. "I'm the-"

"We know who you are," a voice hissed in the darkness. The Doctor squinted to take a good look at whatever was holding him to this wall.

"'We'?" he repeated, craning his neck. The Time Lord's eyes were starting to adjust. "There's more of you?"

"Oh, there are _many_ more of us, Doctor. We are a whole civilization," it said, dragging out the 'c.' This was definitely something reptilian, and he wasn't above guessing that Silurians could be behind it. They _could_ just be another group that had somehow survived, just like the ones underneath Cwmtaff. Still, it didn't make much sense on why this was happening _now. _The other civilization had been awakened after Nazarene's huge drill popped one of their air pockets.

"And let me guess," the Doctor replied, drily, wrists stretching to reach his screwdriver in his coat pocket. It was a bit easier said than done, though. "You're the one responsible for the heat wave in the middle of winter, correct?"

"Well, we have to make this planet live-able," the unknown creature cackled, as though it was something the Time Lord should have known all along. Then again, that _did_ sort of make sense. Silurians were reptiles, after all, and that meant they were cold-blooded. The Doctor assumed they were trying to kill off the human race in one big flash of heat, then come up to the surface, finally, and reclaim their planet. But that meant genocide, which was something the Doctor had never, _ever_ condoned.

"How do you know who I am?"

"A better question is how you are alive, Time Lord," it spat, "The whole _universe_ knows you fell at Lake Silencio."

The Doctor hesitated. He didn't really see what the big deal was, what with the Silence already finding out that he had survived River's shots in Utah a long time ago. It had been _months_ since then, months spent with Amy, running alongside her, laughing, arguing, and spending each night in her arms. They were being chased down by an organization bent on their deaths, but neither could really care. They had each other, and as long as the Doctor kept her out of harm's way and away from Trenzalore, that was all that mattered.

"Your precious Earth. It was supposed to be unguarded, its little protector gone and burned to ash. Yet, here you are."

"You're not from here." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. The way this thing had talked, it was like it didn't belong to Earth, which most definitely canceled out the Silurian theory. That made Amy's survival chances completely unknown. He didn't even know where she was. It was dark save for the red light, and though the Doctor's eyes had already adjusted, he wasn't sure if he could navigate through endless tunnels looking for her. Especially not with a time limit and seemingly hostile aliens mixed in.

"No, we're not. Good observation, Doctor. We are the Anguimultus of Esetai," it said, proudly.

The Anguimultu were a strong, proud race and the Doctor knew them from what he had read in books and seen in museums across the universe, but he had never actually met one. They were mostly aggressive, always ready to spread their empire even farther across the stars. And aggressive wasn't really his thing. He usually just _stumbled_ across hostility. But that explained what they were doing on Earth. This race was also cold-blooded, meaning they would need the heat not only to wipe out the current residents, but also to maintain the necessary climate they needed to survive. They were great predators, hence their ease to slip through the tunnels, advanced enough with their technology to use perception filters to blend in when they went back up to the surface for warmth. It also explained the shuffling-like sound the Doctor had been hearing. It wasn't shuffling, but _slithering_, their scales scraping against the ground. Oh, yes. What the Time Lord currently had on his hands was a sewage system full of giant, highly intelligent, slightly evolved snakes trying to clear everyone out of their new home.

"And you, Doctor, are about to watch your filthy world burn as we make room for the Esetain empire's newest addition: Earth."

* * *

><p>Amy was definitely not digging the tunnels, but as soon as she had hopped down, her eye had caught something familiar. It was the sonic screwdriver. The redhead rushed over to it, taking it in her hands and looking around, suspiciously. This could just be a trap, after all. "Doctor?" she whispered, but there was no answer. He wouldn't leave his screwdriver behind. It was the closest thing that man had to a weapon, and he used it constantly. Without it, Amy knew they wouldn't get out of half the scrapes they'd found themselves in over the few years they'd been traveling together. Her suspicions were right. The Doctor must have been taken somewhere, and it was her job to save him. Amy wasn't the damsel-in-distress this time, and upon thinking that, the young woman made a mental note to make fun of the Doctor about that when she found him. It wasn't a matter of <em>if<em> she would. Amy knew without a doubt, she'd find that over-reactive Time Lord that was always getting himself into as much trouble as he scolded her for getting into.

Amy decided to go by pure instinct again, seeing as it usually worked out for her, and went to the left, going straight through as she trudged through the dirty water. Amy paid close attention to any noises, the occasion groan of some pipes making her jump whenever they sounded, but for the most part things were pretty quiet. That was until she heard a faint buzzing. It seemed to be coming from the end of the hallway to her left, and Amy could see the soft, red glow of a light in the room. Something told her not to take a peek, but she wasn't sure if he was being kept in there, if that room were really a holding cell for the captives of whatever aliens were before her.

She inched towards the door, doing her best to quiet her breathing and footsteps, every single movement. The humming got louder and louder as she neared, Amy's ears tickling slightly from the shake of the vibrations starting to reach her ears. Whatever this was, it wasn't something Amy would overlook. She popped her head into the room. It was a large room with some strange machine in the center, a giant snake slithering past her eyesight for a quick moment. What was going on in there? And what kind of alien was _that_? It was some sort of weird snake with arms, a clear check board with strange symbols and swirling designs in one hand as they scribbled out the an observation or something. Its scales had a slight orange tint to it, but she couldn't tell if that was just from the glow of the machine. It reflected a bit of light on the dark walls, though, which was probably what had caught her eye when she first saw that boy. Amy frowned, realizing the technology they were using. She had never liked the perception filters. It made her feel like nothing was really as it seemed, that even the most innocent of people, a child, could really be a monster.

She heard another one the snake people come in and headed out before she got caught, resuming her search for the Doctor. She had learned from the Doctor that a disguise is really not that hard to create. All she had to do was look confident and have an answer ready in hand, in case Amy got caught up the lie she was telling. But Amy didn't even _need _a clever lie with where she was right then. She'd expected to find the dank walls infested with aliens, but it was actually quite empty. Only a few passed by her and she had managed to press herself against a corner to avoid being seen. This might just be easier than the redhead had thought.

Around 15 minutes passed before Amy heard a familiar voice, one that made her heart fill with joy. He was still alive. Clenching the sonic screwdriver, she turned the corner from where the voice was coming, where the Doctor's voice was coming, and aimed her weapon… Only to find one of those reptile things, holding a communications device up to his ear. The Doctor wasn't there. That was just his voice feeding into the line. And that left Amy alone still, getting stared down by a very sinister-looking snake. For a moment, her heart froze with fear, but then the familiar rush of adrenaline pushed her to move right as the snake struck, trying to take a bite out of her. Its eyes had a dark slit that cut through its yellow eyes and its long fangs dripped with venom. Amy knew that the venom in snakes on Earth could be quite lethal, killing someone in a matter of minutes. She didn't doubt that a larger, alien snake was more deadly, probably bringing an end to their victims in seconds.

It struck again, and again Amy barely got out of the way, feeling the scales of its slender body slide against her leather jacket. That was when the comm unit fell from its grasp, and the redhead suddenly had a brilliant idea. She had the sonic screwdriver and was _sure_ she could use that to her advantage. The time the Doctor had used the sonic screwdriver in the Byzantium as a locator came to mind. And Amy had used the screwdriver before when she and Rory had to save River from inside the Teselecta. All she had to do was point and think, right?

The reptilian was making the whole "getting the comm unit" a hard task, though. He kept striking, one right after the other to try and catch her off guard, to get her when she ran out of breath, to get her tired so he could easily grab her. And it was working. Amy's breathing was starting to get harder as she ran around the room, trying to align the moment where the prize would be perfectly available with spark of courage that would make her just say "Oh, forget this. Just dive for it, Amy." But that hadn't exactly happened yet.

_"And you, Doctor, are about to watch your filthy world burn as we make room for the Esetain empire's newest addition: Earth." _It was a weird voice crackling over the system, the only noise in the room besides the hiss of the giant creature and the screams that escaped Amy's lips whenever it was a close call, which was starting to increase.

Time was running out and she knew it, not just for the Doctor, but for herself and the planet as well. And that was what had pushed her. She _had_ to do this. There was no other option. There was no way she was going to be able to outrun this thing _and_ find the Doctor. But if she had the comm unit and turned it into the locator, she could just keep running down the path that made the locator told her. And finally, as the snake stretched its body once more in attack, Amy gave a quick groan, knowing her shirt was going to be _so_ soaked with smelly water after this. _Oh, screw it_, she mentally sighed, and then she dove under its body, feeling its slimy body as she slid down on the dirty ground, hands outreached for the speaker that still had voices leaking through this.

"You can't do this!" the Doctor cried, frustrated, as the snake that lay over Amy drew back, realizing she was beneath him and in perfect reach to constrict around.

* * *

><p>"You can't do this!"<p>

He didn't have his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor had been sitting there listening to this alien's plan to end the world and tried to convince him that he was no threat, that there was no chance of escape. But now there really wasn't. The Doctor was definitely not strong enough to just _rip_ out of those chains, and he certainly wasn't able to reach any keys. He could barely _see _keys, and something told him it was a safe bet that the Anguimultu had it somewhere on him. "You can't just _kill_ a whole planet. Not without going through me, and I am _not_ all that fun when I get angry. Trust me."

"It's too late, Doctor," the alien hissed, "The generator has already gained enough power to reach its full potential. All we have to do is twist one simple knob. And then all your silly earth animals will burn."

He didn't like being taunted, having someone provoke him, but the Doctor couldn't even say anything in return. How could he? There was no way out, and even if he did escape, they would just activate the machine that was slowly burning the earth. He wouldn't have enough time to stop the machine and save Amy, not in this elaborate labyrinth. The Doctor hung his head, finding himself giving up hope. The Anguimultu just cackled, slithering to the other side of the room, easily blending in with the darkness as it moved to a table, a comm unit laying down, a red light blinking. Someone had been listening in on the conversation.

"Turn it to full power," it ordered, and the Doctor knew that this was it. He had failed. Everyone on the surface was going to die. The Anguimultus had been able to hide deep in the ground to find shelter from the sudden heat wave that was going to kill everything on the surface. The only solace the Doctor was having was that Amy wouldn't be up there. He knew they had taken her, that she must be somewhere down here. He just couldn't let on that he knew her, in case they used her as a weapon against him or something of the sort.

"No!" the Doctor yelled, "Plea-!"

"Oi!" The Time Lord inhaled, sharply, knowing that voice anywhere. It was a Scottish angel, her voice breaking through the radio. "Nobody's burning this planet. Got that, mister?"

The Anguimultu looked at his radio, just as confused as the Doctor. How had _she_ gotten away? "Who is this?" it asked, dragging out the "s."

"Amy Pond, and let me tell you something else," she said, and the man could hear a faint beeping getting closer. Was that the heat? Or was that… No, it couldn't be. But it was. And this next part didn't come out of the radio. It came straight from her mouth as the door flew open to reveal the Doctor's red-headed companion, shirt completely soaked. Under different circumstances, ones that didn't include Earth burning and there being a killer alien in the room, the Doctor would have let himself enjoy the look of that wet fabric clinging to her skin a bit more. He'd just have to do with a cheeky smile for now. "I watched _Anaconda_ twice when I was 7 and didn't cry a single tear."

"Amy!" the Doctor cried, happily.

"You look pretty good in chains," Amy joked, that clever smirk on her lips again, the one the Doctor loved so much. She only gave him a glance as she remained in defense mode, the Doctor chuckling quietly at her innuendo and the time and place she chose to do it. "I'll remember that for later."

The Anguimultu hissed at her, lunging over to her at full speed. The Doctor's two hearts seized, but Amy seemed to be pretty good at dodging. Since when had her reflexes been so good? He didn't have time to think about it, because just as she moved to the right of the room, the sonic screwdriver was tossed into the air, hitting the Doctor's foot. He quickly used his feet to move it up to his legs and into a reachable distance for him to unlock himself from the chains. He had to move fast. Now that the Doctor had Amy and his screwdriver, he _might _just be able to save the world. Again.

He fell to the ground as the his wrists were released from the metal cuffs, and he rubbed his fingers around each one, really hoping Amy was joking about that chains thing. They _really _hurt! There'd definitely be bruising tomorrow, if there wasn't already. "Amy! Run!" the Doctor yelled, running straight through the door, holding his hand out for her to grab. Amy evaded the snake one last time before running towards him, clasping his hand and followed him out the door, listening to the familiar sound of the sonic screwdriver lock the door in place.

"How are there all these rooms in the _sewers_?" she asked, motioning to the door.

"They've been down here for a while," the Doctor explained, "They've had to. They were waiting for their heat generator to reach full power. But now it has, and the world is about to burn."

"How?"

"They're taking the precipitation from the air," the Doctor explained, having paid close attention to what the Anguimultu had been saying as he droned on and on about his plan. He tended to have that effect on people- well, not all people… But it worked on _that_ alien and that was all that mattered at that point. "They take the precipitation away, and that just leaves the sun shining down on you. No clouds. And as the machine inhales the moisture in the air, it exhales carbon dioxide- lots of it. It's speeding up global warming. The world burns, and they release the moisture back in. They won't mind the UV rays from the sun. That species can handle that. Actually, they _love _it. They're making themselves right at home," the Doctor growled, "And now we have, I don't know, five minutes to find that generator."

"Generator?" Amy repeated, remembering the big machine she had seen on her way to find the Doctor, "Is it all big and stuff? I think I know where that is."

"Lead the way, Pond!" He rose up and took her hand in his once more, letting her pull him in every direction until they reached a big room, a large machine covered in dials and buttons expanding all over it. It all looked like some high tech stuff, but nothing a Time Lord couldn't work with. There were no other creature that they could see, the Doctor and Amy quickly looking around the room. It was clear. He remembered the creature talking to him saying that there only needed to be a pulling of a lever. The Doctor looked at the numerous knobs on this, instantly locating one that had a meter just above it, the pointer at the highest point possible. This had to be how he turned it off. The Doctor tried to pull it down, but it wouldn't budge, no matter how hard he tried. And that was when he realized.

"Doctor, hurry up!" Amy cried, looking at her small watch on her pale wrist, "We only have 3 minutes!"

"I can't turn it off," the Doctor murmured, "It's already reached its maximum capacity. It can't be stopped." And now he had to make a decision.

"What?" The redhead looked over to meet his gaze, the panic in his eyes frightening her even more. "You have to. You always figure a way out of things. You _always_ save us. Rory's up there, Doctor. My family is up there. We can't just let them burn. I'll keep a look out, and you just use that big brain, yeah? You still have three minutes. You've worked with less!" They were all reassurances that were spilling out of her mouth, a contradiction to what she had said before, when she had acted like three minutes was no time at all.

"I'm not saying I can't save Earth, but I can't save both Earth and the Anguimultus. I can stop the generator… By sending it to self-destruct." His voice was starting to pick up speed and it took everything for Amy to focus and try to stay caught up with what the Doctor was saying. "The only thing you humans will see is an end to their summer weather and maybe a few damaged pipes. But that means killing the Anguimultus."

"Doctor-" She knew it was stupid to try and voice her opinion. It was more than a bit biased, of course.

"No, it's fine," the Doctor interrupted. He was going to have to resort to one of his things he'd had during his last regeneration. He had given the Anguimultus a chance, telling them to stop. He hadn't hurt a single one, even though they were all so ready to commit global genocide. His last regeneration wouldn't have stood for this. And neither did this one. "I gave them their second chance. And they didn't listen." Before he could think any longer, before he could let the guilt consume him even more and complicate the matters even worse, the Doctor pressed a series of buttons, flipped a switch, and typed something into the large monitor displayed towards the top of the towering machine that went all the way up to the roof of the tunnel and up into the surface. The machine gave a groan, the vibrations stopping altogether, and then picking up speed moments later. "Run, Amy!"

She didn't hesitate. They ran down two tunnels before finding a ladder that led to the street, the heat already starting to pick up. Amy was hyperventilating, dehydrated, but her and the Doctor didn't let the heat get to them. They had to leave before this place exploded. The Doctor paused as Amy climbed up the ladder and lifted the lid, noticing the Anguimultus descending upon them quickly. Yes, this was definitely a whole civilization down here. Him and Amy had already passed a few rooms filled with eggs under warmer lamps. He was about to be responsible for all their deaths. "Doctor!" Amy screamed, holding her hand out to him, wondering why on Earth he wasn't moving.

"What have you done?" an Anguimultu screeched, advancing upon the Time Lord quickly. He started to climb up the step, fast. "We will all burn! And it will be on you, Doctor!"

"It didn't have to be this way."

"We are not weak like you and your beloved humans. We take. Just like our armies will take you at the battle of Trenzalore. The Empire will hear of this, Doctor. This has only made their decision _much_ easier to join the Silence."

"Doctor, get away!" Amy cried, trying to pull him away. The Time Lord's face was peering down the hole he had just climbed out of, the Anguimultu's slit eyes meeting his with anger and pure hatred.

"You will die, Time Lord," it spat, "The Empire will kill you for this. And it pleases us that at least we have died for _something. _You wi-"

The Doctor didn't get to hear the rest, for Amy had pushed the sewage lid back over and pulled the Doctor away, putting her hands underneath his arms and pulling the lanky man away from the street and onto the concrete sidewalk, faces staring at them. He felt the force of the explosion seconds later, heard the cries of panicked humans and screams of dying Anguimultus. Screams that were caused by the Doctor.

* * *

><p>The weather was perfectly cloudy once again, the December chill back as it should be. The Doctor and Amy stood outside the TARDIS, leaning against one another for support. Everyone in London seemed to be rushing home, to get out of their skimpy, thin bathing suits and into a nice fur coat or something of the likes. Amy shivered, the wetness of her shirt not helping with the cold. "Right," the Doctor smiled, "Let's get you changed, Pond. You'll catch a cold out here in this weather with wet clothes. Can't have that, can we?"<p>

"Are you okay?" Amy asked, ignoring his suggestion. The Doctor had been uncharacteristically quiet for the last half hour, since the explosion in the sewers.

"Of course, I'm okay!" he replied, cheerfully, unlocking the TARDIS door, following Amy into the time machine, "I'm always okay!"

Amy surveyed him, knowing that it was a lie. "You did the right thing, Doctor," she assured him, "They were going to kill a planet full of people."

"I killed hundreds today," he replied, voice low and eyes focused on his shoes, "But… It feels just as bad as killing thousands."

She closed the door behind them, before embracing the Doctor, not caring if she got his clothes wet and smelly. He didn't care either. He just needed someone to be there, needed _Amy_ to be there and make him feel like that hero with two golden hearts, like she always did. "You also saved _billions_. That has to count for something, yeah?"

The Doctor gave her a small smile, kissing the top of her forehead at the attempt to cheer him up. It _was_ a valid point, and the fact that Earth was still alive and well cheered him up a bit. "Yes, yes it does," he sighed, hugging her tighter.

Amy kissed his neck softly, before closing her eyes and smiling as she inhaled the TARDIS oil smell that always clung to the tweed of his jacket, much more appealing than how she smelled at that moment. "One more question," she said, pulling her head up to meet his eyes, "How did the Mayans know Earth was going to be danger today?"

"Not sure, Pond," the Doctor said, moments later, "I haven't figured that one out yet. Another adventure for another day. Now, shower? You made me smell funny."

"Shut up!" Amy laughed as the Doctor smiled devilishly, kissing her on the lips before grabbing her hand and pulling her off to the nearest bathroom. Giggles and squeals could be heard from the console room, but neither one of them heard the sound of an incoming message, two words popping up on the monitor followed by a list of numbers, coordinates to be exact. The two words:

_Hello, Sweetie_.

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	5. A Softer Landing

**Hello! I think I'm actually updating at a reasonable time this week! Whoop whoop! **

**Those expecting to see River, read on and understand why I'm even mentioning this. You shall be surprised. I know this chapter is super short, especially compared to the last chapter, but it's only because it's an intro to the next chapter which will definitely be longer. **

**Reminder: Review gets you a sneak peek. So do it. It's a win-win situation(: Also. I don't own this stuff. Sorry. If it helps, I sorta do in my dream world!**

It wasn't until the next morning that River's message was found, still blinking on the screen as the pair resurfaced from the bedroom. Amy was in the kitchen, preparing some tea, while the Doctor stared at the monitor, unsure of what to do, of what to tell Amy. Though their love for one another was strong, the relationship was weak, undefined and ignoring all its problems. The fact that River, Amy's daughter, was _technically_ the Doctor's wife was one of those problems. Worry shot through him. What if Amy became overwhelmed with all the guilt that their relationship created? What if she realized that though this may feel _so_ right, it was _so_wrong? What if she left him?

Of course, the Doctor wouldn't stop her, not if it was what she wanted, if she really couldn't handle this anymore. Amy was giving up much more than he was and if she did end up leaving, well... Then that small part of him that lost the battle could tell him "I told you so." So, when she came out with two steaming mugs in her hands, asking what the Doctor was looking at, he didn't resist telling Amy the truth. "It's River," he answered, feeling her pull up alongside him and hand him his mug. The Doctor could feel the mood switch from pleasant to nervous, watching Amy's body tense in his peripherals as she stared up at the screen.

"Oh," she blurted out, the only thing the redhead could think of at that point.

The Time Lord waited for her to say more, but when nothing escaped her mouth, he said, carefully, "Yes... Oh."

For a few moments, neither said anything, which was odd seeing as both _loved _to talk. But the Doctor and Amy were trying to think. They knew that under normal circumstances, they'd be there in a heartbeat, that River would already be in the TARDIS. Things were different, though, since the last time they saw her. Neither were mad about the Melody thing anymore, well not really. Of course, there was still that regret and confusion on how she could do such a thing, but they were no better. River had ruined Melody's life by leaving her and betraying her. Wasn't that exactly what they were doing? The Doctor and Amy had stopped looking for Melody, knowing that they'd find her when they least expected it. That was what Rory had told them. And now they were together, the ultimate act of betrayal.

When Amy couldn't stand to hear her dark thoughts anymore, she finally spoke up, making the decision they both knew they had to make. "Well?" she asked, taking a large gulp of green tea, ignoring the slight burn in her mouth, "Are you going to put this show on the road, or are you finally going to let me take a crack at it?"

"You are _never _driving the TARDIS," the Doctor said, his tone just as serious as the worried glance he cast down at his companion. He patted the console affectionately, as if trying to reassure the time machine that he would keep her safe from the incapable hands of Amy Pond.

But once Amy was challenged, once she wanted to do something... There was nothing anyone could do but stand back and let her. The Doctor didn't stand a chance.

* * *

><p>"No!" the Doctor bellowed, his surroundings shaking as the TARDIS convulsed in confusion, "You weren't supposed to press that! That was the time immemorial fibulator!"<p>

"The _what_?" Amy cried, holding onto one of the levers with all her might. She didn't want to think how many bruises she'd get from being tossed if she let go.

"The TARDIS' location history! It's a list of all the places I've been since my last regeneration!"

"Really?" she asked, her tone less panicked and slightly more interested, "How long have you had that?"

"I don't know!" he replied, sounding just as fascinated as Amy, "I just found out I had it, too!"

The two hung on to whatever they could as the time machine spun through the time vortex, going somewhere random that the Doctor had been to since regenerating last. It was intentionally meant to keep track of his travels because the Doctor didn't usually like to visit a planet numerous times in one regeneration. There were exceptions of course, like going to Cwmtaff in 2020 or New Earth during his tenth. Still, the TARDIS had thought she was being considerate, but the feature, like many others, were going unnoticed.

A few minutes later, the sound of the brakes echoed throughout the blue box, Amy and the Doctor falling to the clear floor as everything came to stand-still. That was, well, until there was a banging on the front door. "Doctor?" a familiar voice called out, "Doctor! What is it this time? What's wrong? Is the grocery store harboring green aliens in the back?"

The Doctor's head shot up, a clear grin on his face as he realized who was on the other side of the door. "Craig?" He ran to where the voice was coming from and threw the blue doors open, revealing a heavy-set man with blonde hair and blue eyes, stubble across his chin and looking up at the tall man with excitement, worry, and friendliness. It really was Craig Owens. "Craig!"

"Doctor!" the man laughed, enveloping the Time Lord in a big hug. The two hadn't seen each other since Craig had almost turned into a Cyberman, when the Doctor was on his goodbye tour, off to die. That was, of course, until he decided to do something about it. "Hold on. Let me get Sophie! She's with Alfie inside. You'll stay this time, won't you?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replied with uncertainty, "I was in the middle of something, actually."

"Doctor? Who's that?" The men turned around to see Amy stagger towards them, forgotten by the bromance ensuing.

"Oh my God. That's Amy Pond," Craig gasped, obviously knowing her. He knew everything about the Doctor, having experienced telepathic transferal when the Doctor needed to save the world from whatever had been hiding above Craig's flat and had no time to explain. "That's Amy Pond, the Girl Who Waited! She-"

"Explain to me how he knows me!" the redhead interrupted, one hand pressed against her temple and the other resting on her hip. She'd never met Craig before. The first time he'd met the Doctor was when Amy was trapped in the TARDIS and unable to land near him because of interference coming from the flat. The second time was when the Doctor had already left Amy to live her life with Rory, one where she was a model and her face was posted up on ads all around the stores.

"This is Craig, Amy," the Doctor smiled, gesturing towards his friend, "You remember him, don't you?"

Amy didn't respond for a second, trying to remember. When she suddenly realized the identity of the man before her, she gasped, "Oh right! Yeah! Sorry about that!"

"It's fine," Craig said, holding out a hand that Amy quickly shook, "Nice to finally meet you. In person, I mean, and not through his head." He flashed the Doctor a look, something the Time Lord didn't quite understand.

"Like I was saying before," the Doctor went on, returning Craig's glance with a confused look of his own, "We were sort of in the middle of something before Amy tried driving the TARDIS. We should really get going." Upon hearing her name, as if almost in reply, the TARDIS let out a whine that let the Doctor know something was wrong with her and that she wasn't going anywhere until she was fixed. "Oh my Rassilon," he murmured, getting louder as he walked back into the blue phone box and saw the smoke rising around the console. His fingers flailed nervously, moving over the buttons and levers, trying to diagnose the problem. "Amy! _What did you do to my TARDIS_?"

* * *

><p>"I knew I shouldn't have let you drive her," the Doctor moaned, which was exactly what he had been doing for the past half hour, "She is advanced technology at its best and you're just-"<p>

"I'm just what?" Amy challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Human!" he finished, leaning over the kitchen table to glare at his companion, who was returning it with her own narrowed eyes. They were inside the Owens' kitchen, the same home that the Doctor had last seen when he visited. Amy sat across the table from her fellow time traveler, Craig and Sophie leaning against the counter by the sink, eyeing the two carefully as if they had stepped into a battle zone. Alfie gurgled happily from the high chair where he was eating some sort of orange-y mush, the scent making Amy, who was sitting right next to him, slightly sick. What was that junk? "And Alfie, she's too old for you," the Doctor added, nodding his head towards the toddler, who had aged around 3 months since he'd last seen him.

"What?" Amy and Sophie asked, looking at the baby curiously. Craig just shook his head and smiled. He couldn't wait until Alfie could talk to him. The things the Doctor translated were usually funny though slightly worrying. His son was definitely going to have a personality.

"He talks to babies," Craig explained, "Look, how long do you think it's going to take for you to fix the TARDIS? You're free to stay here."

The Doctor did his best to conceal the expression of displeasure that was itching at his face. It wasn't Sophie or Alfie or Craig that he minded. It was just... _Staying_. Sure, with Craig it had been a blast, but that was only for a couple days and minus the baby. Plus, Amy was there and could leave to go back home if she really wanted to. She was back on Earth at relatively the same time he'd dropped Rory off. What with the whole "River reminder," she could still be remembering the choice she had made and maybe regretting it. "I don't know," the Doctor said reluctantly, "I think I could maybe get it if I just trie-"

"You were working down there for twenty minutes," Amy interrupted, "Yeah, not so long if you think about it. But that's the _TARDIS_ and you're the _Doctor._Twenty minutes down there and you couldn't even diagnose the problem? Sounds like a tricky one."

"Why do you always have to come up with brilliant ideas when you're _arguing_ with me?" he sighed, tightening his jaw. He looked at the faces of his surrounding friends, the hope on Craig and Sophie, the irritation and impatience written on Amy's, and, well... The dumbfounded look on Alfie's face as it fixated on Amy's red hair. But that had nothing to do with the choice he was making. "_Fine_. We can stay! But it _really _shouldn't take more than a day. Promise."

It ended up taking more than a day. Actually, it would take three.

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	6. Tired of Lookin 'Round Rooms

**Oh, look! Another chapter being posted in a reasonable amount of time! And this one is a line by Gavin Degraw. I think I actually forgot to tell you folks that I'm actually using song lyrics to come up with titles. There's some Matchbox Twenty in there... Some Noel Gallagher I think? And Alpha Rev. By the way, this one is longer than the last. I STILL feel bad for posting such a short chapter... Even though I used to post them that size in Part One of this story.**

** ANYWAYS. Review for a sneak peek to the next chapter, I don't anything, and... Fun fact of the day: An octopus has the same mentality level as a house cat or a human child. There you go. ENJOY(:**

He'd been working down there for hours, but at least the problem was diagnosed. Amy didn't pay attention to the long explanation the Doctor gave her with all the timey-wimey, spacey-wacey junk that just didn't make sense in her head. Oddly enough, Amy thought she was actually starting to comprehend what he was going on about these days. She _really_ needed to hang out with more humans. She sat up on the swiveling chair, gazing down through the glass floor at the Doctor tinkering away. After the first six times of asking him when he was going to be done, Amy had been ordered into silence. Though she barely listened. She'd asked countless times afterwards.

"Um, Amy?" a timid voice called from the TARDIS' door after a quiet knock. Amy recognized the voice as Sophie, Craig's girlfriend. The woman was really nice, making the new guests right at home. They'd only been there a couple of hours, but Amy was really liking the Owens family, except for maybe Alfie. The Doctor's translations for the baby so far were sort of weird, all having to do with some crude comments towards the redhead and her legs.

"Oh, come right in!" Amy replied, standing up and smoothing her denim skirt. She watched the door open, Sophie's gray eyes widening as she took her first steps into the TARDIS. Even the Doctor was looking up to see her reaction. He always loved this bit.

"It's…" she gasped, trailing off. Sophie looked all around her, mouth dropping.

"Bigger on the inside?" the Doctor finished, swinging from the seat in the TARDIS belly, "Welcome to the TARDIS, Sophie! Something Craig hasn't even seen yet. Well, not counting whatever he saw in my mind."

"But... How?"

"Time Lord technology," Amy smiled, crossing her arms and making her way over to the blonde, "Don't try to understand it. He'll just give you a bunch of alien babble." The women laughed together, the Doctor giving her a confused glare, knowing she said _something_ but was too busy to ask why.

Sophie laughed. "I- I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the shop with me. I have to get some things for dinner." The pair had crashed onto Earth sometime in the afternoon. Craig was on a lunch break, so he had to return to work about half an hour later, but Sophie had the day off. For the past few hours, she had been in the house doing dishes from her family's lunch and taking care of Alfie while the Doctor and Amy were in the TARDIS doing repairs. "Alfie finally went to sleep," she explained, "And I thought you might be getting bored."

Amy nodded, looking down at the man a level below her. He'd probably be down there for the next few hours. He hadn't even found the problem yet. She was starting to think he was going to try and take the whole machine apart. And Amy _had_ just been thinking about getting more human friends. The only friends she ever had were Rory and Mels, one being her future husband and the other being her daughter, unbeknownst to her. Other than that, Amelia Pond had been a very lonely child. No one wanted to play with the crazy Scottish girl who went on and on about aliens and time machines. "Sure, yeah! Now that you mention it, I do sort of need to get some air."

"Great! You read to go?"

"Yup," Amy said, popping the 'p.' She looked down at the Doctor. "Oi, I'm leaving!" He didn't reply, too busy dealing with a wire that was currently shooting down sparks. She grinned, hearing his surprised yelps.

"Doctor?" Sophie seemed a little more concerned than Amy. "Are you alright down there?"

"Yeah, yeah," he shouted, quite embarrassed as he tried to fuse it back to its original spot, "Have fun, ladies."

"Alright. I'm leaving the monitor in here. If Alfie cries, just rock him a little. He should be fine," the mother instructed, laying the monitor down on the console and switching it to maximum volume, "Craig should be home in twenty minutes or so. You can handle it, right?"

Amy didn't wait for a response, pulling Sophie out of the large box she'd been confined to for the past few hours, her only companions being a tinkering Time Lord and complete boredom. Just as the doors shut, the Doctor realized the responsibility being placed on him. He raised his head, quickly removing his goggle to reveal widened eyes. "No!"

* * *

><p>Amy leaned against the cart, walking with Sophie down by the milk as she chattered on and on about how she'd <em>known <em>she recognized her, but didn't know from where exactly. That was until a woman in front of the store came up and asked the redhead for an autograph. Sometimes, she forgot that she was so recognizable. She was used to foreign planets and times where the only reason she got attention was for her lack of two more arms or something of the likes. Amy had also taken a few pictures, but she really hoped it wouldn't hit the internet. Not that she was a big internet sensation, but there was the possibility that Rory could see it. Knowing that Amy hadn't gone to visit him would probably crush him. He wasn't the older Rory that had moved on with Helen just yet.

"It must be so great, your life," Sophie mused, bringing Amy out of her reverie, "I mean, you're a famous model here, but then you get to go off to distant planets and all that with the Doctor, too. Life must never get boring for you." Sophie was happy with her life. She really was. There was no note of jealousy in her wonderings, only intrigue and excitement. Amy was living the life people read about in books and watched in movies, with adventures and handsome men doting upon her. Though she was also happy with Craig, the blonde couldn't deny that the Doctor wasn't an attractive man. She could see why Amy was sticking around with him.

"No," Amy murmured, grabbing a carton of milk off the shelf that Sophie pointed at, "Never a single moment. I mean, it's not always adventures and aliens with us. Sometimes, there's breaks in the middle. Like this, I think. Though, knowing us, there's probably going to be an alien invasion tomorrow and we'll be the only ones who can stop it." Amy laughed. Her and the Doctor could never go _anywhere _without trouble finding them. Most of the time, though, it was more like _they_ were trying to find the trouble.

Sophie looked a little worried for a second before Amy laughed, and she joined in. From the little experience she'd had with the Doctor, and all the tales that Craig told her, she knew that the Time Lord usually got himself into trouble. That was why Craig and her had been so afraid when he'd arrived. The only times he'd ever shown up, hostile aliens seemed to be the reason, or at least what followed after he dropped in. "You two seem good together," Sophie said, looking slyly at Amy from the corner of her eye. She'd picked up on tiny hints between the pair, but she wasn't sure if it was something like she'd had with Craig before the Doctor showed up, where they were oblivious to the other's feelings and dismissed it as nothing but friendship. This could serve to be a bit repayment for the Doctor finally getting Craig to spit out that he was in love with her all that time ago. "If you don't mind me saying," Sophie added.

"No, not at all." Amy was used to it by then. They were already together, but even before then, people had said stuff. Not just Rory, but there were also people like Isabella's father in Venice, who had thought that they were actually engaged, people like Vincent van Gogh, like her parents and Mels after the wedding.

"Are you two… Together?"

"I don't know," she replied. Amy was instantly reminded of how girl talk happened in the movies. She'd never had female friends other than her own daughter, and they mostly talked about the Doctor during their sleepovers, little Amelia going over every single detail _again_ for Mels. She had never known why her friend was so fascinated, but now Amy knew. In regards to the question, Amy _wasn't_ sure what they were. They were together, yes, but they'd still yet to come up with a name to call themselves. It hadn't really bothered the two seeing as it was just a label and they didn't need that kind of stuff for the life they led, but now that she was actually talking about it with someone that wasn't the Doctor, Amy found out she _was_ caring. Why didn't he ever tell her about his other companions? Why had he let _Craig_ inside his head and not her? There were still so many secrets being kept from her. Finally the little voice that had been asking it all along rose in volume. _Why_? "Sort of, I guess," she went on, "I mean, we're _together_, but he's still hiding things from me… I don't even know his real name. Is that a bad thing? It's weird, isn't it?"

Sophie tilted her head, considering the question. She hadn't known Amy for very long, but uncertainty was evident in her voice and Sophie knew that that must be rare for the woman to express. She seemed like one of the strong, independent types. "I think everything involving a man like the Doctor is a bit strange, Amy," Sophie answered honestly, "But I don't think you have anything to worry about. He really loves you. I can tell." It was funny saying that, seeing as she had been so oblivious to Craig's feelings that had matched her own. But wasn't how love always worked out? Everyone can see it but the two people falling madly in love with one another?

Amy felt heat rise up to her cheeks. She didn't really need reassurance about the Doctor loving her, not until now when the doubt was starting to sink in. The Dream Lord had asked Amy what his name was, mocking her for thinking she was the one girl in the universe that the Doctor told everything to. And if the Dream Lord was the Doctor, didn't that mean _he_ thought she was foolish for believing that? "Thanks, Sophie," she murmured, taking a turn down the canned food aisle. Sophie began to grab things off the shelves. "What about you and Craig? You're not getting married or anything?"

"No," she sighed, letting the emotion she hid from her long-term boyfriend leak into her voice, "We talked about it before Alfie was born, and we just didn't really see a point in it. It's just a piece of paper, really."

Being with the Doctor after so long had helped Amy notice things. And after watching Sophie talk about their lack of a wedding, she knew it was a complete lie. She gave her a smile and stopped the cart as Sophie grabbed a can of some sort of vegetables, "You want to get married, don't you?"

"What? What makes you think that?"

"Every girl wants to get married to the man they're in love with," Amy replied, "It's what we all dream of as kids, yeah? You can say that you don't care about a wedding and how it's all just a bunch of legal papers, but you care. Deep down, that little girl in you cares."

Sophie grinned. She was completely right. This girl she'd known for a little over 5 hours was able to see what none of her friends or family saw. She acted like she didn't care about how she'd never get to look at Craig's face as she walked down the aisle in a long, white dress. She acted like she didn't care that there was so golden band on her finger to symbolize that she was not alone in the world. But Sophie did care. As much as Amy did, though she doubted the Scot would admit it. "I guess you're right," she finally said, looking at her list and heading down the last aisle they needed to visit before heading out, "But I don't want to pressure him or anything. I don't want him to think I'm silly for wanting to do this just because, you know?"

"Craig seems like a nice guy," Amy said, "He just needs a bit of a push. It took the possibility of the whole solar system exploding for him to finally admit that he loved you." She hadn't actually been there, but Amy distinctly remembered the confession and the romantic moment that followed. She was being jostled around in the TARDIS, so she didn't exactly get to enjoy the moment with them. Oddly enough, the redhead was really starting to like Sophie. She was kind, funny, and a great listener. Already the gears in Amy's head were starting to move. Yes. She would definitely be providing a bit of a "push" for Craig. It was the least she could do for the budding friendship she was finding herself in.

"Yeah," Sophie smiled, remembering, "Sometimes, I wonder how long it would have taken him to get around to it if it weren't for that."

"He probably would have made it last minute, right as you were deciding to leave," Amy sighed, finding similarity in her own situation, "That was how the Doctor did it, too. He was going to let me leave, but…" She stopped before going on, knowing that the story involved telling Sophie that Amy was already married to someone, someone who was missing her and waiting for her return that very day. Maybe she'd even have to explain the other obstacles in their relationship, like how the Doctor was going to live centuries after her, or how he was also married himself. To her daughter. She didn't want to hear the judgment she knew most people would react with. Even though Sophie didn't seem like the judging type, Amy held her tongue. She didn't want to ruin the girl time already.

"But what?"

"But his big head got in the way," Amy finished, smiling broadly.

The pair went to the checkout, Amy offering to pay for whatever she could. She always had a wallet on her, just for emergencies, but the Doctor always seemed to have a way of getting them currency or credit that she just never came to use it. Seeing as Amy was going to eat some of that, she felt obligated to help, but Sophie wouldn't let her, saying she was the guest and guests never had to pay for meals. Besides, all the bills had been paid. It wasn't like they were down to the last of their savings. After the groceries were bagged, Amy pushed the cart into the designated cart area, heading back to the Sophie's car just as the blonde was shutting the trunk on the paper bags. The rest of the ride was filled with mindless chatter, more about Alfie and how Sophie was going to have to find him daycare or something when she got her new schedule. Apparently, she was just getting promoted at her job, which meant more hours. She worried about not spending time with her son, fearing the alone time he'd get. Amy nodded, but didn't go into how well she understood the feeling. She spent a total of a few hours with her daughter, maybe a whole day if you counted every tiny visit over the amount of time it took for the Doctor and Rory to find her at Demon's Run the first time. And Melody Pond had grown up in probably the loneliest, saddest, most screwed up childhood imaginable.

Amy began to wonder if that was why she never made human friends. The Doctor always called her completely impossible, told her that she was so very different because of how she grew up with a crack in time pouring into her head every night she slept. Was it because she was hardly human, herself? While children wished to become veterinarians and teachers, Amelia wanted to be a time traveler. While other children drew pictures of flowers and their families, the young Scottish girl drew pictures of the same blue phone box, a man in raggedy attire holding out his hand to a girl that resembled the artist. Still, Amy _was_ human. Different than most? Yes. But, nonetheless, it was her species and Earth was her original home. And she needed someone like Sophie, a normal human with a happily normal life filled with dreams and goals that didn't involve leaving the solar system. She needed something simple and easy to deal with. Instead of negotiating peace with aliens, she just needed someone to talk to her about their angry boss and his shiny, balding scalp. Was that why the Doctor made so many friends around the universe? Not just to keep away the loneliness, but also to remind him that not everything is about fighting aliens and getting banished from planets?

* * *

><p>When they returned home, the women found a complete mess. They'd been gone for maybe an hour, but havoc had already spread throughout the house. Craig's car could be seen from the driveway, that was obvious, but smoke was rising from the trunk and skid marks could be seen on the concrete in the street that led to the vehicle. Inside the house, it was a complete mess. Papers littered the floor, stuffing from a pillow seemed to have been torn all over the living room. Sophie came in with her mouth in a shocked "o," Amy's eyebrows instantly raising. What had the Doctor done this time?<p>

"Oh. Hello, Sophie! And Amy!" the Doctor shouted cheerfully, looking up from his job at mopping whatever had spilled in the kitchen. He looked at their expressions then the rest of the house, his smile faltering. He gulped, nervously. "About the mess… Well, you see… Craig has a lovely explanation for all of it. Craig!"

"What?" the man yelled back, entering from the back yard, "Doctor, we don't have time! Sophie's going to be here any…" Craig trailed off when his blue eyes took in the image of his wife. "Oh… Hi, babe!"

"What the _hell_?" she exclaimed, motioning to the mess all around her, "What is going on?"

"Doctor?" Craig asked, looking for support.

"Doctor?" Amy echoed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Amy…" the Doctor rushed to explain, moving towards the redhead.

"Where is Alfie?" she cried, worriedly, eyes darting to the stairs, "Craig!"

"Alfie's fine! Sophie, just let me explain!"

"Yes, Amy," the Doctor nodded, "Let Craig explain."

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	7. Boys Will Be Boys

**... This took longer than I thought it would... Blame the time and soul sucker that is Tumblr. :P But, anyways, here it is! The Doctor and Craig's story! Now, this may seem a little pointless of a story to some of you, but as I've said before: every chapter has a point to it... Eventually. And so does this one! Uhm, so... Yeah! Not really sure what else to say. It's 2 am right now, but I want to get this done before I get lazy again! This title is actually just a common phrase, but it's also from "Time to Dance" by Panic! At the Disco. I'm sure it's mentioned in others as well.**

**Anyone else see the mini episode? CRIED WHEN THE FREAKING WEEPING ANGEL SHOWED UP! Ohmilawrd. Just reminds me of the Ponds leaving and junk. Speaking of which, their last episode. "And that's it" REALLY ARTHUR? REALLY? Geez. I haven't updated in a while, have I? I really shouldn't haven this much to share... You know, you can skip down to the story if you want. I'm just going to continue talking for a while. It's what I do when I'm tired. Ooh! And I also found out that Matt Smith is carrying the Olympic torch in Cardiff! Now, if you're going to be one of those people that's upset it's not Tennant because of that "Fear Her" episode, I'm going to have to refer you to my Tumblr where you can read my rant on how it is NOT NICE to bash Matt on him getting such an honor. **

**Okay! Done rambling and ranting! Review=sneak peek and I own nothing! Enjoy!**

The TARDIS was big. Some would say it was never-ending, but the Doctor knew better. His old girl just liked to lead people in circles. There were things that people didn't know were in that blue box, not even Amy. Sometimes, the Doctor would put things in there and forget about it. It's why he tried not to bring any simple-minded organisms on board. Though some of his companions were questionable at times (Amy glared when the Doctor added this in to the story). Five minutes after Amy and Sophie left to go shopping or whatever they were doing, because he honestly hadn't been listening, Stormageddon's long, loud wail pierced the Time Lord's ears. He stopped his work momentarily, trying to remember all that he could from when he'd been a father. He remembered vaguely that sometimes children just cried and you were supposed to give them a moment or two before you actually went to check on them. Despite the Doctor's first wife telling him this, he'd never listened. Ten bodies later, and he was the same way. His personality was always changing, but one thing remained. He never _could _handle the crying of a child. Something in him always made him rush to solve the problem.

"Stormy?" the Doctor called, climbing the stairs and tentatively opening the door. He grinned at the baby standing up inside the crib, chin dribbling with spit and tears falling down his eyes. "Hello, Alfie! Tell Doctor what's the matter."

"_Mum?_ _You're not Mum_!" the child wailed, "_Where's my mummy_?"

The Doctor smiled, remembering a certain little boy by the name of Jamie, a gas mask fused to his face. "Believe it or not, that's not the first time I've been mistaken as someone's mummy." That adventure had been fun. It was when he'd first met Jack, who had saved Rose from hanging off a blimp during an air raid. At the time, he'd been a bit jealous with the attention being shown to the attractive man by his companion. Little did he know that he had nothing to worry about. Jack hit on _every _companion of his. Except maybe the eager Donna, much to her disappointment. "Don't worry, little Alfie. She'll be back soon. Now, how would you like to see a space ship?"

* * *

><p>Craig was just getting off work, putting his things in the back seat when he got a call from an unknown number. He usually ignored numbers he didn't know. If they really needed to talk to him, they'd call twice. And they did. Right after the other call went to voicemail. Craig climbed into the car and shut the door, sighing, "Yeah, this is Craig Owens. Hello?"<p>

"Craig?" The voice. He had nightmares about this voice. The Doctor. When he was worried about something, when something was wrong. "Now, I don't want you to be alarmed, but-"

"Doctor?" he interrupted, quickly turning the key in the ignition. His heart was thudding in his ears, adrenaline pumping. Of course something was wrong. Something always went wrong when the Doctor showed up. Luckily, he always managed to get them out of it. "What is it this time?"

"Well, uh," the man on the other side of the phone said, nervously, "I… Sort of lost Stormageddon… But stay calm, Cra-"

"_You lost Alfie_?"

"He's somewhere in the TARDIS!" the Doctor cried, and then his voice dropped to a low whisper, "Craig, it gets worse."

"How could this possibly get _worse_?"

"There's an alien in your house."

Craig put the pedal to the metal, forgetting all about speed limits as he raced to save his son. He tried to calm down, knowing that they could get the situation under control like they always had, but still the adrenaline in him made Craig wonder if this was the time that things wouldn't work out. Last time, he had very nearly turned into a robot man, or whatever the hell the Doctor had called it. _Cyber Man. Right,_ he remembered, though he didn't really care much. The fact of the matter was that his son was in trouble. Where were Sophie and Amy? How could they leave the Doctor alone knowing the past experiences? The last time Craig left Alfie with the Doctor, he'd come home to be greeted by a cyber-mat, a seemingly cute, mouse-like robot with _not_ seemingly cute, sharp teeth.

He got to the house twice as quickly as he would have had he been going at a normal speed. Craig thanked God that he hadn't been stopped, just honked at by angry drivers as he sped past them. The tires screeched as he swerved into the driveway, hitting the breaks. He went to run into the house but heard the Doctor from the backyard, who had come out of the TARDIS at the sound of Craig's car. "Craig!" he called, "Do _not _go in the house! We need to find Alfie first!"

"I can't believe you lost him!" Craig yelled, charging at the man in tweed.

The Doctor raised up his hands in defense. "It's not like I _meant _to, Craig! I was just letting him hang about the TARDIS while I finished up the repairs! Then, he was just gone."

"I'm going to kill you," he growled, pushing past the Doctor and going into the TARDIS.

"I would rather you not," the Time Lord returned, following the human in, "This face is actually starting to grow on me." The Doctor explained that Alfie could be anywhere in the TARDIS, and though she'd usually show them where the baby at, she was still upset about her usual driver letting the redhead take the wheel. She liked Amy and all, though still believed Rory to be _much _prettier in her opinion, but the time machine didn't even have to look forward in her time stream to see the disastrous outcome. "I think I might know the general area he might be in."

"How?" Craig had already been smacked upside the head for saying that the time machine couldn't possibly have feelings, since it _was _only a box.

"That's where the alien in your house comes in... Stormy sort of let it out." It technically wasn't alive when the Doctor had it in his possession, but it was an egg that had been frozen cryogenically so that the Doctor could return it to its home to be born. It'd been there for a century or two, but he'd never really gotten around to it, always forgetting or never being able to find the room. But Alfie was at that age where babies were curious about everything, _touching _everything. He must have released it. "Now, we can deal with the alien later. We need to find Alfie first, got it, Craig?" the Doctor instructed, "I'd prefer it if he didn't get into anything else."

Craig nodded, already turning towards the stairs. "Alright, Doctor. Just make sure Sophie doesn't come home to a messy house and a missing baby." And with that, they set off in the hallways, both turning opposite directions and calling out Alfie's name, though the Doctor was sort of whistling and making kissing noises like he was calling a _dog_, not a human child. They searched high and low, the Doctor finding rooms even _he'd _forgotten about. He tried to remember them all so he could take Amy back and show her later. Especially that spa room. He was sure she'd like that. Craig was mostly confused by what he found. There were alien artifacts all around in the rooms he went in, in bottles and on papers. He saw paintings from artists he'd only heard of in history books, rooms with numbers and names on it, his experience from being in the Doctor's head being able to identify them vaguely as companions.

He'd never been inside the TARDIS before, and though he'd caught a little bit about it from the Doctor's mind, it still caused Craig to go wide-eyed. He hadn't had much chance to freak out at the door about the size of the thing, the beauty and intricate layout, mainly because he was too busy worrying about Alfie. "Oh God," the man gasped, not being about to help himself as he rounded another long hallway. "It really is bigger on the inside." Craig's voice alarmed himself, reminding him that he could do this later. There was probably a lot of dangerous "souvenirs" of the Doctor's lying about and he couldn't handle the thought of what might happen if Alfie touched the wrong thing.

Meanwhile, the Doctor sped down hallway after hallway, peeking his head in through each door and calling for the baby, but nothing seemed to be happening. He was nowhere to be found. He hated to think of the consequences if they found Stormaggedon too late. Not only would he have failed the Owens family, but he also would have failed Amy. The Doctor knew she had realized just how unrealistic it was for him to save everyone, unlike the early days of them travelling together, but that never stopped him from trying to prove to her that she shouldn't give up all hope in him, that he could be the hero with two golden hearts she had first thought him to be. And he also didn't want her thinking he was incapable of taking care of a child.

He knew that he couldn't have that life with her and it was silly to imagine, but like he always did when visiting Craig, the Doctor had pretended to be human. He watched how the girls talked to one another, how Sophie and Craig moved with such ease and comfort in their home. The TARDIS was his and Amy's home, but it was always moving, always changing and leaving something to be discovered. The pair liked that about the blue box, but the Doctor couldn't help but see how happy Amy was when Sophie had invited her. Even though she refused to accept or knowingly believe it in front of the Doctor, Amy needed a bit of human in her life and he knew it.

So he had fooled himself into thinking that this could be a sort of test, to show that he was capable, that he had that side to him as well, that he could be everything she ever needed. It was something selfish of him, something to boost his own ego and try to reclaim Amy's full attention and need. Or at least that's what the darker shadows in his heart were telling him. Though the Doctor put on a cheery front, the voices in his head of people he failed to save were growing with each passing day, reminding him that Amy would soon join them if he didn't find a way to stop it. It was all making the Doctor more harsh than he usually was on himself, and Amy had only just barely taken notice of it during their adventures, catching his eye and finding the usual spark in his eyes gone. But when he noticed, he'd give her a smile and there it'd be again, like a switch he could turn on and off.

And in the midst of these thoughts, the Doctor heard it. A long wail piercing the air. It was little Stormaggedon. He followed the cries carefully, unsure if the baby had released something that was responsible for the crying. When he got to the right door way, the Doctor lept out with his sonic screwdriver raised. But there was no one there, just Stormy sitting there with a confused, red face that was twisted in anguish as he cried for his mother and father. The Doctor grinned, rushing over to him. He'd made it in time. But there were tiny cuts on Alfie's knees, probably from broken vials that the Doctor had found all over the TARDIS, cursing Rassilon and making a note of each area to clean later. He knelt beside the sobbing child and ran the screwdriver over his wounds, flicking it back up in front of his face to read the medical readings.

"Hush now, Stormy," the Doctor murmured, kissing the top of his head, "Just a couple bandages should do the trick. Be lucky you didn't get into any of the toxins lying around here."

"_I want my mummy_," Alfie cried, being taken up into the Doctor's arms and carried down the hall. He didn't listen to the strange man in the bow tie and continued crying. Maybe his daddy would hear him just like last time the Doctor was there. He would hear him and come stop the dull pain in his legs, something that maybe adults could handle easily, but something that was also unbearable for an infant. "_I want my mummy!_"

"Your mummy's not here right now," the Time Lord replied, getting louder shrieks in return, "But your dad is somewhere around here. We were looking for you, y'know? Not a very wise thing sneaking away around here. You could have been lost for days."

"Alfie?" a voice called from down a hallway. The Doctor knew it instantly to be Craig. The TARDIS must be growing less cross with him if she led him back to her thief. That saved a good bit of time that would have otherwise been spent looking for him through the vast maze of the ship. Then, the heavy set man turned the corner, laying eyes on the pair. He sighed, a relieved smile on his face as he rushed over with arms out to take a hold of his son. "Oh, thank God. He found you, Alfie! Oh, I was so worried!"

"Craig?" the Doctor said, interjecting on the happy reunion.

"Yeah?"

"Amy and Sophie should be home in about 15 minutes… And there's still that alien I managed to trap in the house."

* * *

><p>"So, we ended up getting it eventually-"<p>

"After _I _used a clever, little trick-" the Doctor interrupted.

"Yeah, but it was _my _idea!" Craig argued. He rolled his eyes, the two women across from him exchanging glances with each other before looking back at him to finish his story. "What we did was the Doctor got on the kitchen table from behind it and threw a blanket o-"

"Please don't tell me it was the one that my mother knit for Alfie, Craig," Sophie pleaded, giving him a tired look. Already this story was exhausting her, making her want to go upstairs from where her son was playing and just hold him so that nothing else like this could happen to him. She watched as Craig averted her gaze, moaning and dropping her face into her open hands.

Meanwhile, Amy was looking at the Doctor. "So, you mean to tell me we have _live _aliens inside the TARDIS _other _than yourself?" she asked, incredulously, "And you never _mentioned _any of this?"

"Oi! Do _not _yell at _me_!" he cried back, hands raised in the air, "It was safe in the cryogenic chamber I had it in! Blame Alfie!"

"You're really blaming this on the _baby_, Doctor? What are you going to do if we… " Amy stopped herself. _No. You weren't about to say that because _that _is a ridiculous idea, Amy Pond! You know that. He knows that… So… Shut up!_ Amy told herself it was just hanging out with Sophie that had made her think like that, think that the Doctor and her could even… No. Completely impossible. Not in the TARDIS. Not living the sort of life they lived! It was a mad idea.

"If we what?" the Doctor asked, narrowing his eyes. Sophie peeked from in between her fingers to watch the two.

"I mean if _I _had gotten into or something. On accident or something. What then, Doctor?" she finished, not daring to say what she had really started to. No. She wasn't going to tell the Doctor that the sentence that she'd originally uttered from her mouth was going to be _What are you going to do if we ever get a baby? Child lock the whole TARDIS?_ But even thinking that was stupid. So, Amy didn't say it, even though she could feel Sophie shaking her head and smiling to her left. The redhead just lectured on for another fifteen minutes, the Doctor sighing all the while, Sophie taking notes for the next time her boyfriend acted up, and Craig being glad he hadn't gone through as much as his friend.

_Ridiculous idea, Pond,_ Amy thought to herself as they boys headed out to the TARDIS to clean up, the girls tackling what was left of the kitchen and starting dinner with Alfie playing with his cars and blocks in his high chair. _Nope, that is absolutely ridiculous._

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	8. Ring Slips On

**Hi everyone! Look who's updated in relatively good amount of time! ME! Firstly, let me address the anon since I couldn't message them. Dear anon, this story is multi-genre. I won't just be focusing on the romance. For the last couple of chapters, I've just been focusing on making convincing adventures so I _have _dropped the ball a bit when it comes to the fluff. But that was because I knew this chapter was coming up. ^_^ And this one is pretty fluffy. I don't know about the next chapters though... I sort of might make the next one or two fluff... But I originally planned for them to be angsty. **

**Now onto the rest of you! In this chapter, Craig is given something by Amy, Sophie gets what she wants, Amy doesn't, and the Doctor is left with some very confused thoughts after hearing some _very _interesting things from his hosts. And the title of this chapter is from "Let's Skip to the Good Part" by He Is We.**

** Reviewing is good and you win a prize if you do so! What is this prize, you may ask? A SNEAK PEEK TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. SO REVIEW. IT'LL MAKE YOU SO HAPPY. Also, don't know how long it'll take me for the next chapter. As I stated above, I don't know which direction I'm going to take it. Lastly, I don't own anything. **

**ENJOY!**

"Sophie, are you _sure_?" Craig asked fearfully, "You know what happened las-"

"Hush, Craig!" his girlfriend interrupted. He'd been asking if she was sure for the past hour. "Amy's going to be here and I fully trust her to keep things in order. You see how she handles the Doctor and he's _the Doctor_!"

The man sighed, leaning against the wall in the bathroom adjoined to their bedroom, watching Sophie brush her eyelashes with a mascara stick. It was the second day with the Doctor and Amy staying at their home, and since the Alfie incident, nothing had happened. Yet. Sophie was right in saying that Amy handled the Doctor pretty well. She didn't get into such a flustered state as much as everyone else did when the alien had tried his hand at plumbing to add some new features to their sink. Originally, Sophie and Craig were pretty worried, but Amy just told them to calm down and yanked the Doctor from under the sink telling him he better know what he was doing. Thirty minutes later and they now had two faucets, one for the water and one for lemonade. The redhead also was the only one not to lose her appetite as the Doctor prepared himself fish fingers and custard for breakfast. The only thing coming from her was a roll of the eyes and a reminder that he better brush his teeth because she wasn't going anywhere near his fish breath.

This was all Amy's idea, too, the big date night. She thought it might be good for them seeing as they were always either working or taking care of Alfie. Sophie didn't even take a second to think about it, immediately accepting. The thought of the Doctor alone with Alfie again was scary seeing as it'd barely been twenty-four hours since his son got lost in the TARDIS, but maybe Sophie was right. Amy had told them she'd already been a mother, but she looked much too young to have children at the age of moving out. Craig knew she was human. The Doctor would have told him otherwise. Plus, inside the Time Lord's head was the deep pit of incurable loneliness and guilt, the heaviness of two hearts that came with the knowledge of being the last of your kind. Craig thought that was why he traveled, why he picked up human companions, why he liked Amy so much. They made him forget.

He walked out of the room, going down the stairs to get his coat. He could hear the buzzing of the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor and Alfie's laughter intermingling as his toy robot suddenly came to life. "We're almost off!" Craig called to them, "Sophie's just going to be a moment."

"Craig! Wait!" Amy cried, bursting into the room, an excited grin on her face, "I need you to come with me really quick."

"What is it?"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, just shut up and come on, you." Amy grabbed Craig's arm and pulled him out the front door, going around the house to the back. Again, Craig asked what was going on, but she just ignored him as they made their way to the TARDIS. The place was fairly clean… Fairly. Craig was the one that had to clean the console room and sweep up broken glass vials and weird alien junk. Admittedly, he'd been a bit lazy about it, but the Doctor just shook his head and said he'd deal with whatever he'd missed later.

His body was shoved into the time machine, Amy closing the door behind them and looking conspiratorially at the human male. "I have something to show you."

"Okay, I'm really confused," Craig said, checking his watch, "Sophie's going to be ready any minute and we have to make that reservat-"

"Oi, then you better shut up and I'll talk quickly! Now, hold on." She ran up the stairs and down a hallway. Craig looked nervously back at his watch. He couldn't just _leave._ If he did, Amy would just drag him back. Luckily, she was only gone a couple minutes before she resurfaced. "Tell me, Craig, how do you feel about getting married?"

"What? Uh, no offense, Amy, but I have Sophie and I'm pretty sure the Do-"

"I wasn't talking about _me_! I'm not the marrying type, anyways," she replied quickly, instead opening her hand to reveal a red box. "I was talking about you and _Sophie_."

Craig's jaw dropped and he began to sputter, "I-I don't know, Amy."

"What? You don't want to?"

"No, no! It's j-just that, well, we already had t-talked about this!" he stammered, trying to explain. This was such a shock, completely one of the last things he'd been expecting Amy to say. Craig did want to marry Sophie, but he knew that she probably didn't. They'd had this conversation before, even before Alfie came along. "We agreed that it didn't really matter, that it was just a piece of paper."

"Really?" Amy asked, frowning in mock confusion, "Is that why she told me she _wants _to marry you someday and that she's just waiting for you to finally pop the question?"

"S-She did?"

"Yup," she replied, popping the "p," lips turning into a grin. "And I know you want it too. You two are basically married anyways, aren't you? You're living together, making a home, and raising your baby. That's more than I did with my husband." Of course, Amy didn't add that that was because they spent most of their time traveling in the TARDIS with her imaginary friend that she was sort of in love with. Or that the reason they didn't raise their baby girl was because she'd gotten kidnapped by a religious order and raised as a weapon to kill said imaginary friend. Still, it hardly mattered. She could see it with Craig and Sophie. They'd created a home, a family, and they weren't going to leave that anytime soon. Unlike Amy had with her flighty, adventurous ways. "This was my engagement ring, but I want you to have it."

She handed the red, velvet box to the awestruck Craig. "And I know you might think it's a bad omen or something because of how my marriage ended, but… Well, we were happy," Amy went on, sighing. She really did love Rory. It just wasn't like being with the Doctor, though. Rory's love was a comfort, playing it safe because she knew he would never leave her. But the Doctor gave her passion and made her truly happy. With Rory, Amy was always left wondering if there could be more. That was never a question when she was with her Raggedy Doctor, though. "And there was love there. I just wanted more, you know?"

Craig nodded, popping open the top. He still didn't believe what was going on. "Amy, I- I can't take this," he murmured. The ring was a decent size, something Amy's husband probably to save a couple pay checks for. "This is _yours._"

Amy laughed. "Craig, do you really think I want to keep that around? To remind me?" she asked, laughter still in her voice. He looked at her, puzzled. She really was an odd girl, perfect for the Doctor. "No. I've had a lot of good memories with it, and, of course, bad. But I think a pretty piece of jewelry like this deserves more than just sitting on a shelf and gathering dust, yeah? Please. I _want _you to have it. "

"But I don't even have a speech prepared or anything!" he cried, fear evident as his head slowly wrapped around the idea, seriously thinking about it, "I haven't even gotten a blessing from her parents!"

She looked at him skeptically. "Craig, you're the father of her child. Do you really even need to ask them for their blessing? I think you already have it. And just say something from the heart! You've got a brain, don't you? Just be honest and tell her how much you love her, how you want to spend forever with her, how you'll be there for Sophie no matter what, no matter how dark it gets or something. I don't know!"

"I feel like I should be writing this down," Craig muttered, rubbing one hand down his face and the taking a second look at the ring. He felt himself start to smile. "I can't believe this right now."

"You can do this," Amy said reassuringly, giving him a thumbs up, "Now, come on. Sophie's probably wondering where her date went off to." She went to the door and swung it open, looking at Craig. "Coming?"

The man closed the box and shoved it in his pants pocket, walking out the door. There was nothing but silence as they walked through the grass in the backyard, Craig already starting to think of his speech and Amy gleefully patting herself on the back for a mission accomplished. When they reached the door, Craig stopped her and looked at Amy straight in her eyes. "Amy?"

"Do you need another pep talk before we go in?"

"No," he smiled, "I just wanted to say thank you."

* * *

><p>"Where did you and Craig run off to?" the Doctor asked a couple hours later. They were sitting in the living room, Amy in a rocking chair cradling a dozing Alfie in her arms while the Doctor was lounging on the couch.<p>

"Nowhere," she shrugged, her voice quiet, "Just had a talk."

"About what?"

"Nothing!" she giggled, "You're so nosy. Now, come on. I think he's finally asleep." The whole babysitting thing had gone pretty well with the pair. Even though Amy hadn't had much time with little Melody, the Doctor noticed just how natural it was for her. All her motherly instincts were still in her. Something in the scene stirred in his two hearts, reminded of the times when he'd had a family, a wife and children. But he was old now, and Amy was human. He wasn't even sure that was possible for them, even if they wanted to. And did they? They always enjoyed the running, never got tired of it. Wouldn't a baby slow them down? Still, the Doctor had to admit the scene was pretty nice. Maybe they could just babysit for Craig and Sophie more often. Those two needed more nights out anyways.

The Doctor followed Amy quietly up the stairs to Alfie's room. He went and switched on the boy's nightlight, the crude stars from the lamp slowly swirling around the room's walls. Amy leaned over the crib carefully, doing her best not to disturb the baby's sleep. When she got him onto the crib's mattress, she pulled his blanket up over him and placed his stuff bear next to his sleeping body. "Okay," she mouthed to the Doctor. "Finally," she breathed. Putting Alfie to sleep had been a bit of a struggle at first. The Doctor had him for the first half, but became increasingly frantic and impatient as the baby refused to sleep, instead getting into arguments with him. The Doctor looked at Amy and smiled. He really did like watching her with little Stormaggedon. He just wouldn't admit that to anyone, not even himself.

Amy saw the Doctor looking at her and Stormageddon and something in her stirred. This was the life Rory had always wanted, what she had given up, but that night with the Doctor, the redhead had started to see the appeal. Maybe it was just because he was adorable with Alfie, calling him Stormy. Maybe it was the amusement in seeing the Doctor who dealt with aliens and hostile beings out to kill them on a daily basis, panic as he tried to changed the baby's diaper. She watched them play with the toys and talk and laugh in a conversation she only knew half of. The Time Lord had avoided her question when she'd once asked it, but it was clear to Amy now that he had once been a father. She should have seen it sooner, the way he always took care of crying children. It was just always hard to remember that the Doctor had a life before her. Unlike Amy, who had lived a short life before meeting her Raggedy Man. She just wished he'd open up about his past a little more.

He held out his hand to her, smiling softly as he led her out of the room, both trying to make their steps as quite as possible and shutting the door slowly. The Doctor pulled the door inch by inch until it clicked, breathing out in relief when he let go of the knob. Just as he turned around though, Amy had her lips on his. It wasn't anything really needy like that night in her bedroom. It was soft and comforting, just like how the Time Lord had been feeling all night. One went to secure her face to his, the other sliding down to rest on her hips. Amy's fingers already threading through his hair as she gently pushed him into Alfie's door. He pulled away, a confused smirk on his face. "What was that for?"

"I don't know," Amy replied, moving her palms to his chest and playing with the Doctor's suspenders, "Does it have to be for anything?"

Before he could answer, Amy was kissing him again, this time more eager and pushing off his coat. The Doctor didn't seem to notice, though, not until his suspenders were already hanging down and he could feel Amy's fingers playing with the buttons. He quickly grabbed them in his to stop her from continuing. "Amy," he sighed sternly, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Stupid?" Again, Amy tried moving her mouth back to his, but the Doctor just laughed and put a finger to her lips. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance and swiped his hand away. "Don't act like you don't want to!"

"No, I do," the Doctor agreed, still grinning and wrapping his arms around her waist. He was finding the pout on Amy's face too funny to keep himself composed, "But Alfie's asleep and Craig and Sophie are going to get back any minute."

"So? We'll just tell them we went to bed by the time they got home!" Amy protested, trying to keep her voice low in case she woke up the baby, "No one's gonna know!"

"Oh yes they will, Pond."

"How?" One of Amy's hands slid off his shoulder and went to her hip, trying to show that she meant business. This only made the Doctor more amused, but he knew if he started snickering, she was going to punch him or do something along those lines. "Give me one good reason and I'll drop it."

The Doctor still wasn't very good at talking about sex. He was still a little kid about it whenever anyone else brought it up, except for maybe Amy depending on where they were. Then he usually said something smart back and got a flirty wink. Still, he felt a little awkward with what he wanted to say next and tried to be careful with how he said it. "Well, Amy… We're not," the Doctor trailed off, but he could feel the redhead's impatience. He sighed and went on, pulling her a little closer with that bemused smile on his face and gave her a teasing look, touching foreheads. "We're not very _quiet_."

There was silence for a second as Amy stared into the Doctor's green eyes, thinking about his words. Her irritated exterior suddenly broke down and Amy couldn't help but laugh. Her hands went back around the Doctor's neck and she kissed his lips softly. "Fine. Good point," she said, "But don't think this is over. I'm going to corner you as soon as you hurry up with the TARDIS and I expect to get what I want."

"Ay ay, Pond," he chuckled, breaking from the embrace and leading Amy downstairs, "Let's go. I recorded _My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding_ from this afternoon!"

"We are _not _watching that," Amy snorted. She had left the Doctor alone with Sophie for _one hour _to take a shower and already the woman had gotten Amy's poor Time Lord sucked into reality television. "If I don't get what I want tonight, then neither do you."

The Doctor sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get to watch his show and felt like telling Amy something he'd been avoiding, but stopped himself. He really liked being there at Craig's, watching Sophie and Amy become friends, seeing Amy take care of Alfie like that. He liked pretending that this was possible for them… Which is why the Doctor hadn't told anyone that after they'd found Stormy the day before, while everyone else was sound asleep, the Doctor went back to the messy TARDIS console room that Craig had so messily picked up. That's why he never told anyone that after three or four more hours of tinkering away, the Doctor had finally fixed the TARDIS.

* * *

><p>"Thank you so much! It's really been a pleasure to have you!" Sophie beamed, the engagement ring so clearly glittering from her left ring finger as she threw her arms around Amy in a tight hug. The pair had come home all smiles and laughs, Sophie showing off the ring to the Doctor and Amy. Craig gave a little wink to Amy when he thought no one was looking, but the Doctor had caught it, cementing his suspicions after recognizing the engagement ring instantly as Amy's. He hadn't said anything, though, not yet. He just smiled and shook his head at his meddling Amelia Pond.<p>

"Oh, it was great being here," Amy returned, "And congratulations again! I better be invited!"

"Of course!"

Craig and the Doctor exchanged a look and smile, before the Doctor enveloped his friend in a big hug. "Great to see you again, Craig. Sorry, you know, about… Losing Stormy."

"Okay, I have a question," Amy said, interrupting the two men, "What is with the 'Stormy' thing?"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor replied, "Alfie didn't really like his name at first. He liked being called 'Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All.'"

"What?" Sophie asked. Obviously Craig had never told her.

"Don't worry. He likes Alfie now. But I still call him Stormy. The name just sort of stuck."

"I'm trying really hard not to be afraid of him now," Amy said, "But, hey, I guess I better go up and say goodbye to the Dark Lord before we get going." She smiled before heading back into the house, leaving the other three adults in the backyard next to the blue police box.

"She's a really great girl, Doctor," Sophie smiled. She knew that Amy was the one that had finally gotten Craig to propose. It couldn't just be coincidence that the day after she finally opened up to someone, it happened. She didn't mind at all though, not angry that Amy had felt the need to take things into her own hands. Sophie was actually _glad_. She'd already called all her girlfriends the next morning, her parents, and anyone else who would listen.

"Yeah, I know," the Doctor agreed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"So, do I hear any wedding bells in the future for you two?" she asked gently. Sophie grinned. She had decided to maybe return the favor for her new friend as soon as she realized who was behind her own engagement.

"What? No. No!" the Doctor laughed, clearly taken back by the question, "That's… No. We've talked about this. You know, that just… We both agreed the 'married with kids' thing was just not… _No_."

"Why not?" Craig asked, receiving a grateful glance from his fiancée for his assistance. He was starting to see a similarity in the way he'd been acting when Amy talked to him about proposing.

"Because we're time travelers!" he cried, as if the answer to that question was obvious enough, "We run and get chased and have adventures! Besides, Amy's always said she wasn't the marrying type. The last time was just a minor exception because she didn't actually want to. She was just doing it because Rory wanted to."

"Doctor, she told me that _every _girl dreams of getting married," Sophie said, "_Every. _I think that includes her."

"But Amy said she-"

"And she's a _girl_!" she laughed, "We say a lot of things we don't mean! I didn't mean it when I told Craig I didn't want to get married. Now look at us."

The Doctor didn't know what to say. Did she want to? Was Amy really hoping that he'd someday ask her? Why did she lie to him then? Why didn't she just tell him what he really wanted and make things ten times less difficult and confusing? And _why _was a part of him beginning to like this idea? The Doctor was trying his best to ignore that happy feeling, the same one he got when he watched Amy with Alfie, the same thing he briefly felt when Rory had joked around about them naming their future son after him. He had to remind himself that Amy couldn't stay with him forever. She was going to grow old when he couldn't. She was so much more fragile than he was. Amy could die at any given time, _would _die if the Doctor couldn't find a way to save her, and she wouldn't be able to just bounce back with a new face like he could. Each point hurt, which was the sole reason him and Amy never talked about it, but just kept running from their problems like they always did.

Sophie went to open her mouth once more, but then Amy hopped back out the door and coming closer to them, now in ear shot. She seemed to notice something weird going on with the group. "Uh, did the Doctor do something stupid again?" the redhead teased.

The Doctor smiled, "Come along, Pond. We were in the middle of an adventure before you broke my ship."

"Oi, shut up, Stupid! You're the one that lost a baby!" she shot back, sticking her tongue out. Everyone got another round of hugs before the Doctor and Amy made their way into the TARDIS, promising to come back soon as the Craig and Sophie waved goodbye. The Doctor never did like going to the same place once, but if the Owens family was going to be there... Well, he might not have a problem with it.

"Alright, Pond," the Doctor said, typing in coordinates and feeling the excitement build as he prepared the TARDIS for her first take off in a few days. His box had been getting antsy and was now eager to finally take off and carry her thief and his redhead off on their next adventure. The TARDIS began to fade out, Craig and Sophie backing up to watch it go before heading into the house. From the inside, the Doctor pulled down the lever that sent them into the vortex, both him and Amy holding on for dear life. "Let's see what River has for us this time!"

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	9. Tell Me Everything That Happened

**Hi, guys! I have returned! I don't know how long it's been since my last update, so... Sorry it was like forever ago? This one was just really hard to write because I got too lazy to put all my thoughts down on Word. Anyways, it's done now. And the title is from "Dead Hearts" by Stars, which I'll be using for the rest of this story line :P**

**To my reviewers, thanks and all that junk(: I ended up making it longer because I found the perfect place that I wanted to stop at. The first version of this chapter was just wayyyyy too short. **

**Okay. Done talking now. Just remember that when you send in a review, you get a sneak peek! I love to see new faces review, just because I have cool conversations (in my opinion) with some of you and... Yeah. I also own none of this stuff! Alrighty, guys. ENJOY!**

She loved this feeling, the adrenaline that rushed through her body. She wondered if he'd come, if he'd get her message. Her mother's voice echoed in her head, reminding her that he was worth it, that he would always get her out of whatever mess she got herself into. Because she was River Song and he was the Doctor. She was the woman who would one day marry the greatest man in the universe. River knew of his greatness now. While the Silence had mostly told her the truth growing up, all little Melody ever heard about were numbers, death counts, people whose lives were ruined because of that man. But she'd been studying archaeology for two years and she had researched the Doctor. It was Amy who had told the whole truth, her mother who told of both his great deeds and the times where not everyone made it out. That was why River trusted her decision. If her mother said the Doctor was going to be there for her, she believed it. River looked back at her pursuers, five burly figures closing in on her, then back at the orange water crashing against the cliff she was standing on. Without an ounce of hesitation, River jumped.

For a second, the archaeology student really regretted her decision. How did she think this was going to work? But then the unmistakable sound of the TARDIS filled her ears and River couldn't help but smile as she fell towards the blue box. He'd made it.

* * *

><p>"Out of all the rooms in the TARDIS, you make me land in the <em>pool<em>?" River grumbled, drying her blonde curls with a towel, "Do you know what water does to my hair?"

"It's always like that," the Doctor laughed, leaning against the console alongside Amy, who shifted uncomfortably. They'd discussed it and they thought that it might be better to just come out with it, or at least the Doctor did. He reminded her how well Rory had taken it and for once Amy didn't have the strength to argue. She was much too afraid that River would overhear them.

"Shut up," River grinned, making her way towards the pair, "Well, I guess Mummy was right after all."

"Right about what, exactly?" Amy asked.

"He caught me," she explained, "Thank you, by the way, Sweetie." Amy tried to ignore the familiar pet name. It was hard to feel comfortable in this situation, especially when she noticed the bulge on the side of River's thigh that was no doubt a gun.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking. By now, he was getting the hang of the parallel timeline thing with River. If this was her first free fall into the TARDIS, this must mean that this was his last time coming to her rescue on such short notice. A part of him was a bit glad. He'd always hated having to go to her beck-and-call, but it was something he couldn't eve really resist. There were really only two women that could control the Time Lord like that and they were both standing next to him by the console. The Doctor also knew that this must be earlier on in her timeline, which was why he was thinking in the first place. "River, when was the last time you saw us?"

"Why don't you just check the dia-" Amy started, used to the routine of the two time travelers.

"Hush, Amy. I don't think she's far enough to know about that," the Doctor interrupted, giving her a clever smirk, "Spoilers."

"I hate it when you say that," River said, feeling a bit annoyed that they were talking to her like she wasn't even in the room.

"No you don't," the Doctor and Amy said in unison, both smiling. Little did she know how often she was going to tease _them _with the word. Maybe it was some sort of payback.

"If you must know, the last time I saw you all was when you _abandoned _me at the hospital," she sniffed, then turned to Amy, "Thanks for that, Mummy."

The redhead felt a flash of guilt. She'd _told _the Doctor not to leave her behind. She was River, Amy had reminded him. She was hers and Rory's daughter. And they had just left her. That and the knowledge of what Melody thought happened at Demon's Run was just too much for Amy. She bowed her head and looked at her feet, not wanting anyone to see the emotions crossing her face. Only the Doctor seemed to notice, but he didn't say anything. He just changed the subject. "You're studying archaeology right now, aren't you?" he asked, "What are you doing in Rogoslavica? You're a bit far from the university, aren't you, River?"

"And how do you know all that? Stalking me?" the blonde teased, moving closer to the Doctor. She was always a shameless flirt and didn't seem to really care that her mother was standing right next to them. The Doctor looked nervously at his companion, knowing there was only so much she could take. River didn't know, _couldn't _know all that Amy had gone through yet. But she would in due time. As for now, though, she was unintentionally hurting her own mother and so was the Doctor if he flirted back with her like he usually did. "Spring Break, Sweetie."

"What did you do this time?"

"Oh, I was just trying to take a little souvenir from the palace tour," River smirked, walking away from the Doctor to stroke the console with one finger, walking in a semi-circle, "The guards didn't seem to like that too well."

He groaned. "River, how many times do I have to tell you? You can't _do _things like that!"

She smirked, licking her lips and eyed the Doctor. "I've been a very bad girl, haven't I? What are you going to do, my love? _Spank _me?" The Doctor cleared his throat and Amy's cheeks turned bright red, blushing. She couldn't believe she had to endure this. The tension was definitely evident to everyone but River, who was becoming interested in the buttons and levers before her. As a child of the TARDIS, she couldn't help but miss it ever since the first time she drove it. Sometimes River could hear it, that familiar grating noise calling out to her in her sleep, beckoning her towards it for another adventure. She knew she had to get a ride out of this before she was sent back home. There was just one thing that was odd to River, something she had noticed a long time before, but hadn't mentioned it. "Where's Daddy?"

The Doctor and Amy looked to each other for answers, both realizing that this was it. The Time Lord knew that Amy probably didn't want to lie to her daughter. She already felt guilty enough about everything else. Besides, wouldn't it be easier if they just told her now to get it out in the open? Meanwhile, Amy was thinking otherwise. She couldn't take her eyes off of where the gun was strapped, feeling like she was probably going to die if she ever told River the truth. And while, yes, she did feel bad for all she had done to Melody, Amy felt like telling her what was really going on would only add to the pile of bad things. What River didn't know, wouldn't hurt her right? "Well, you see," the Doctor started, "We sort of-"

"Went on an adventure today," Amy interrupted, seeing the Doctor give her a confused look, replying with one a glare that told him to just go with it, "And he kind of died. Don't worry. It happens a lot. It gets a bit tiring after a while, though. He'll probably be out for another eight hours or something." That actually was true. On the days where Rory's life almost ended, he'd sleep for a whole day sometimes, his body too busy recuperating from the trauma.

"But I really wanted to see him…" River trailed off, studying the redhead. She could feel like something was off, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. "I haven't seen you two in ages."

"Maybe next time," Amy smiled. No, she wasn't going to tell River what _really _happened. She wasn't going to tell her how she'd left him to wait for her, knowing he'd give up after a few years and find someone else to marry and have kids with. She didn't tell River that she'd left her husband for her son-in-law, that they were actually quite serious. She didn't tell her any of that. Amy just kept on smiling and hoped the Doctor would keep his trap shut.

"Fine, but tell him I said 'hello' when he wakes up, will you?" River sighed, and the other two breathed a sigh of relief. Now they just had to keep the charade up. "So, time for an adventure. I've already had some ideas planned!"

"What?" the Doctor asked, rushing over to her side to make sure she didn't press anything, "No, no, no. You're going straight back to school, Miss Song."

She jutted her lip out in a pout. "Oh, but Sweetie… It's my holiday. And I already have the perfect place in mind."

"And where would that be?"

River smiled, pleased that he was somewhat going along with it. She'd done enough planning already; pouring through books and magazines about vacation spots the Doctor could take her to. There was one in particular that she'd been thinking of, though. It was supposed to be one of the most romantic destinations to go to. "The Singing Towers?" she suggested, moving towards the typewriter to enter the coordinates.

His eyes widened, remembering that moment in the library, what River had said. He remembered when he'd picked River up and there ended up being three or four more of them, coming in and out of the TARDIS at different points in her timeline. One of them was with a future Doctor. And it was the night that he was taking her to the Singing Towers, where he would have to say goodbye to River before she met a version of the Doctor that didn't know her at all, that she would sacrifice herself for. He covered up his fallen expression quickly, but Amy had just caught a little bit of it, enough to know that something was wrong. She wondered if he was exiled from that planet or something. It had never gotten in their way before…

"No, boring," the Doctor said, batting River's hands away from the keys, "See, I have a rule. You're allowed to pick a place to go, but it _has _to be amazing."

"They're ranked in the top five best vacation spots in the next three galaxies!" she protested, putting a hand on her hip. River didn't like it when someone told her no, when she didn't get what she wanted. She'd always been like that.

"But it just so happens that we have to make a little pit stop," he lied, "I completely forgot about it. We were just on our way before we got your message. Right, Amy?"

The redhead turn to look at him nervously, trying to think on the spot of some unknown place that River would find absolutely horrible and not want to visit. She couldn't. So she just went with the first thing that popped into her head. "Yeah, we were going to go check out that Mayan thing!" she nodded, crossing her arms and looking back casually at her daughter, "We're investigating that 2012 thing."

"Oh, that's just a myth, Mummy," River smiled, shaking her head.

"Not exactly," the Doctor broke in, mentally wishing Amy had come up with something else. River loved messing around with Earth's history. She was an archaeologist, after all. She was probably eating this up. "See, we've _been _there, and it turns out that there _was _actually an alien attack that day that could have turned the whole world into flames and molten rock. How do you suppose that happened?"

"Coincidence?"

He smiled, remembering this wasn't the River he knew, or the one that knew him, the one that had always intimidate the Doctor with her endless knowledge and ability to mystify him. Now it was his turn, he guessed. "I don't think so. I think that something happened to the Mayans. And the Aztecs for that matter. They were always so advanced for their time period…"

"You're saying the Mayans have had alien influence over them?" She held back the urge to laugh. It wasn't completely impossible and the Doctor had already proved himself to River. She didn't need to second guess him anymore. She grinned. Yes, this was definitely up her alley and she had been waiting quite a while for a real adventure. "Well? What are we waiting for?"

* * *

><p>"Oh my God," Amy whispered upon exiting the TARDIS, looking at the surrounding buildings with amazement, her eyes widening in wonder. The Doctor watched her with satisfaction, feeding off her excitement. This was always the best part, in his opinion, seeing her face light up when they visited somewhere Amy knew she would have never gotten to see without the Doctor coming into her life. Impressing Amy Pond wherever they went was always one of the important goals of his. He went to take her hand in his, but then River came out in her sunglasses and long sundress, the fabric swaying at her feet.<p>

"My, my," River smiled, "This is much better than the textbooks." The Doctor thought to tell her how impractical her clothing was, especially the sandals with the long heels, but decided against it. She was going to learn one way or another and he didn't doubt there would be running involved. It was just so strange to know more than River and the Doctor wasn't so sure if he liked it, though he had always seemed to wish for it when she proved to have the upper hand in his past. Of course, that was her future. "So," she said, still unused to time travel and the Doctor's process of adventuring and solving mysteries, "What do we do first?"

"We usually bug people and try to interrogate them, trick them into saying something useful, find an alien, then kick some butt," Amy replied, arms cross as she began to walk away from the blue box, smiling at her daughter. While she was very worried about the whole "lying" thing with Rory being asleep inside the TARDIS and all, Amy was still glad to be able to see River. They hadn't spoken since the Melody incident and she had already stopped being angry with her a long time ago.

The Doctor grinned. "Basically," he agreed, nudging the redhead with his shoulder, "Good summary, Pond. Now, let's get going. I think if we split up, we'll get more coverage and be able to find more information faster. So, Amy, you are coming with m-"

"Me!" River finished, linking arms with Amy. The Doctor opened his mouth to protest, but the older woman continued. "Sorry, Sweetie, but I haven't seen my dear Mummy in ages. And I really could use the girl time." He didn't even have a chance to argue. She was already taking Amy in the direction of the main plaza.

"Fine!" he called out, "But be back in an hour!" The Doctor heard River make some smart comment, noticing Amy turn around and glare at him for not fighting a little harder. She probably didn't want to be alone in such an awkward situation, but it was hardly _his _fault she had a pushy daughter that lived by the "my way or the highway" motto.

He sighed, deciding to go the opposite direction and headed towards what looked to be housing. The Doctor went from door to door, asking if there'd been anything suspicious going on lately, but most people just looked confused and told him to leave before they got the family spear out and impaled him, making him move quickly to the next house. There were some that he visited whose eyes would widen, knowing perfectly well what he was talking about, but they would keep their lips shut, not saying a single word about it until the Doctor decided that the conversation was useless and moved on. Twenty-five minutes in, he gave up, deciding to return back to the TARDIS to wait for Amy and River to return. Maybe _they'd _gotten something to use. He knew there was something here, but the Doctor just couldn't figure out _what_.

The Doctor pondered this while tying a loose lace on one of his boots when a young boy ran by, smoothly grabbing the sonic screwdriver from the man's pocket. "Oi! Give that here!" the Doctor yelled, standing up with his hand held out while moving towards the child, who did nothing but giggle and run away. The alien followed him through every twist and sharp turn the boy took, who obviously knew his way around the place. But the Doctor didn't and soon grew tired, bending over with his hands on his knees, trying to control his breathing and let air into his lungs. "I am getting much too old for this," he groaned, standing straight again and sighing as he began to run again. The Doctor knew the direction he'd taken and hopefully someone else had seen the boy pass by, could give him a name or tell him which direction he'd headed. The streets were quite empty, though, and the Doctor suddenly remembered how busy the plaza was. There must have been some sort of event happening. Luckily, after ten minutes or so of walking, his Time Lord ears could faintly pick up the sound of his favorite gadget. The boy must be trying to figure out how it worked.

He sprinted in the direction of where the sound had come from, getting closer and closer until he reached a small home just a few meters away from where the Doctor had been. A girl came to the door after he knocked, a baby on her hip. She looked about sixteen or seventeen with long, black hair that went to the middle of her back, chocolate brown eyes and dark caramel skin. She looked at the oddly-dressed, breathless man warily. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Oh, hello!" the Doctor smiled, "I'm the Doctor!"

She looked puzzled. "Doctor? But there is no one ill here, sir."

"No, no!" he chuckled, "Not that kind of Doctor. It's my name. Just 'the Doctor.' So enough with the sir."

"Fine, _Doctor_," the girl said, "What do you need?"

The Doctor whipped the psychic paper out from his pocket, flashing whatever lie he'd conjured up in the girl's face. "Just a routine inspection, making sure your home is safe and sound. I'm part of the Builder's Guild."

"But… We've never had inspections before…"

"It's a new division." He shrugged, letting the subject fall as he moved into the house and observed the walls and ceiling. The Doctor didn't have to pretend to be amazed with the walls. It was made of that cement-like limestone mixture they'd made, made purely by men with no help from animals and wagons like the Egyptians. He'd always been interested in the Mayans. They were so smart for their time, gathering so much information on astrology, mathematics, and science. They'd even had their own writing system! But now the Doctor couldn't help but wonder if it was really just them being brilliant, or if there was some sort of alien involvement speeding things along. If that was it, why? What was the point? And why would they mark "December 21st, 2012" as a specific date on the calendar? Did it mean something?

The buzzing of the sonic screwdriver broke the Doctor from his thoughts, reminding him why he was even there. It came from the only other room they seemed to have, which was probably where the family slept. In the corner, there was the little boy, clicking away at buttons and watching with fascination as the green light lit up. Hearing footsteps, the boy looked up, his jaw dropping when he recognized the tweed and bow tie, knowing it was the man he'd stolen from. "I- I-" the boy started, trying to desperately to explain himself, but the Doctor interrupted.

He wasn't really that angry, just more annoyed. This had cut into his investigating time, which had already been unsuccessful. "I believe you have something of mine," the Doctor said, holding his hand out and looking at the boy expectantly, "Come on. Give it here." The boy stuck out his lip in a pout as he bowed his head and got up to give the strange man his screwdriver, hoping he could possibly guilt him into not saying anything to the girl who had just walked in.

"Doctor," the girl said, her tone and question making it clear that she wanted the Doctor out very soon, "Are you almost done here?"

"Oh, yes! Absolutely!" he nodded, putting the sonic screwdriver back in his coat pocket and clapped his hands together, "I just need to ask a few simple questions first and then I'm off. First one! What's your names?"

"My name is Akna," she answered, then motioned to the boy that still had his bottom lip jutted out, "That is my little brother, Bacab, and this is my baby brother, Tepeu."

The Doctor wondered why Akna didn't have children of her own. She was well within the age to be married at this point in history and couples were always eager to bear children early on. So where were her little ones? And why wasn't she at the plaza like everyone else? The only people to answer the door to him before were people who were leaving or children with a man watching them. He felt that was odd enough, seeing as it was the women who were in charge of taking the children but he hadn't questioned it. Maybe it was a festival for one of the feminine goddesses. "Okay, Akna and Bacab, next question. It's a bit trickier." The Doctor's face became serious. "Have either of you noticed anything strange lately? Have there been disappearances of any kind? Any strange, new people coming in?"

No one answered for a moment, but the Doctor carefully studied their expressions. Akna knew something. He could see the flash of comprehension and understanding in her eyes, knowing perfectly well what he was talking about. But just like the other villagers who seemed to know something, Akna remained tight-lipped, not uttering a single word.

It was Bacab that spoke. He was hoping that by continuing this conversation, the Doctor could stay away from the subject on how he'd stolen something of his, not wanting to know what his sister would do to punish him. She'd been in a foul mood lately, not that the whole family didn't know why. "Do you.. Do you mea-"

"Hush, Bacab," Akna hissed, hiking Tepeu higher up on her hip, rubbing his back as he grew fussy.

Seeing this, the Doctor moved in between the two siblings and took the little boy by his shoulders, firmly but gently, and looked deep into his brown eyes that he so obviously shared with his sister. "Bacab, tell me what you know," he said, "I'm here to help."

"You can't help us from them!" the girl growled in a low voice, as if she were afraid someone might hear them. "No one can! Now _get out_, sir. I wish for you to leave!"

The Doctor ignored her, still looking straight at Bacab. "I will help you, but you have to tell me what's going on first." he promised, "Trust me. I'm the Doctor. Now tell me what Akna means by 'them.'"

He could feel the boy tremble. "They are around us all of the time, but we never know it. They are always listening."

"Bacab, no!"

"Who? Who are they?" the Doctor asked again, becoming just a bit fiercer with his question.

"Doctor, I want you to _leave_," Akna interjected.

"Not until I get an answer. Come on, Bacab. You want to tell me, don't you? You _know _I can save you. You trust me! Tell me _who_!"

The boy's next words were so low that even the Doctor could barely hear it. "_The One-Eyed People._"

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	10. Being Grown Up Isn't Half As Fun

**Hi, guys! Sorry it took so long for the update! This story line is sort of when stuff starts to be brought up and the main plot comes into play. You'll see maybe a tiny bit of it in this chapter, but it's mainly the next one. Anyways, yeah! You're about to find out who the "One Eyed Ones" are. I didn't have anyone guess it correctly, but if you got it, you get a thumbs up from this chick right here! **

**Thanks so much for the reviews and all the subscribing and stuff! Really appreciate it(: So, remember that I don't own anything. Except for maybe those three Mayans. But like that's really significant :/ Also, send in a review to get a sneak peek to the next chapter! Oh, and the title is from the song "In This Diary" by The Ataris.**

** Okay. Done talking. ENJOY!**

The Doctor's mind raced, thinking of every single species he'd ever encountered in his 900 years of traveling the universe. The first thing he thought about was Daleks, but why would they plant the idea of 2012 in the Mayans' heads? Besides, this didn't seem like them. They didn't quietly manipulate and stay in the dark corners, watching. When the Daleks wanted control of somewhere, they made themselves known and dominated their chosen civilization, dictating them and using fear to rule. Of course, fear was ruling these people too, but it still wasn't their style. Akna backed away into the corner, looking all around her nervously and Bacab hands were now in his lap, as if accepting a horrible fate that he had brought upon himself. "Akna, what does he mean?" the Doctor asked, not taking his eyes off the boy. She didn't respond, so he repeated himself, louder and adding more emphasis. "_What does he mean_?"

"They… They'll hear us, Doctor," she murmured, "They'll do exactly what they did to my mother, what they did to... _Please_. We've answered your question. Just go and leave us alone!"

He turned away and looked at the young girl. True horror was written all over her face, along with lines of loss and sadness. Whoever was here had done damage to this family. "If what you say is true, then they already know you've said something to me," the Doctor pointed out, "Now, I can help you, Akna. I can stop them from hurting you and your brothers, from hurting everyone here, but you have to tell me what I'm dealing with."

She swallowed and seemed to be holding back tears. Akna knew the Doctor was right. It was too late. They were probably going to come back for her and Bacab and Tepeu. She didn't look at her brother who was still sitting on the dirty ground. She knew he must feel guilty, but Akna knew he had a right to feel that way. He had seen firsthand what happened with people who talked about the One-Eyed people, who thought about rising up against them and make them leave the civilization. "They're in the main temple in the center of the city," she whispered, not meeting the Doctor's eyes, "Today, there's supposed to be a sacrifice, which is why everyone's in the town square."

"But not you?"

Her eyes flickered up to his and stayed there, finding an odd sense of comfort in them. "No, I'm here for Tepeu," Akna replied, "My mother… She's not with us anymore." Because her mother had started asking questions, questions that were not allowed, questions that could start an uprising. So the One Eyed people got rid of her.

"What do they look like, Akna?" the Time Lord persisted.

"They're just like you or I, Doctor," she said, "Except that they-"

"Have one eye?" he finished, getting an irritated look from Akna. He held his hands up in apology. "Right, sorry. Continue."

"They don't really have one eye," Akna explained, "We call them that because you only see one of their eyes. The other is covered by a black piece of… I don't know. But they told us it helps them communicate with the gods. That's why they're in our temple right now." The Doctor's brow furrowed for a split second before it finally became clear who they were talking about. Someone who hid in the shadows and manipulated people quietly, who were always there but remained unseen… The black pieces… They were eye patches. And the Doctor was dealing with the Silence.

* * *

><p>Things weren't actually as bad as Amy had thought. River was being pleasant along their trip to where everyone seemed to be heading, like a festival of sorts. "So, what year is this exactly?" she asked, looking at the blonde, "You're the one that set in the coordinates. How did you kn-"<p>

"Archaeologist, dear," River smiled, already knowing what she was going to ask. "We're in the 9th century."

"And what makes this century so special?"

"Well, for two hundred years, Mayan civilizations went through a major decline," River explained, using her knowledge of history to impress her mother. The little child that was abandoned still yearned for as much attention as she could get. When River was growing up with Rory and Amy, she'd sought bad attention, getting into so much trouble. But this was a new regeneration and it was a fresh start. And she was going to prove that she wasn't that heartless war criminal her parents and the Doctor had seen in Berlin. "There are different theories for it: foreign invasion, peasant revolt, failing trade routes, and the main one being a drought."

"It doesn't look all… Drought-y here," Amy said, looking around her. This bustling city was in a sort of valley, mountains all around them, in every direction they turned their heads. The grass below their feet was lush and green and Amy could see farmlands in the distance with workers hunched over and working on the harvest. They didn't seem to be revolting either and there were no suspicious soldiers or anything to assume there was foreign invasion. It could be something as simple and boring as the trade routes… Except it was never simple and boring, not when the Doctor got involved, anyways.

"Well, it is a theory after all," River shrugged, and then turned her head to look at Amy fully. The mood turned serious and the redhead could feel it, looking up quickly to catch her daughter's eyes. "You're running from him again, aren't you?"

"From w-" Amy began to ask.

"Oh, from Daddy," she sighed, then smiled softly at Amy's puzzled expression, "You didn't think I really believed that 'asleep' thing, did you?" When you regenerate, you remember things, but not really at the same time. When River thought about her life as Mels or even as little Melody Pond, her brain seemed to only come up with an overall summary of how her everyday life had seemed and who'd she'd met. She had to really think hard or be reminded of something to bring in perfect details or a certain event like the time she was caught shoplifting after going grocery shopping with Amy and her mum. Needless to say, Mrs. Pond never took Mels shopping again.

What wasn't hard to remember, because it was so constant in Mels' life and one of her big missions, was the fact that Amy never really saw how much Rory was in love with her. Of course, Mels found it amusing at times, when they'd play hide and seek and leave the poor boy waiting for hours in some cupboard around the house, already moving onto their next game. But as they got older, it just became irritating. She _knew _they were supposed to be together, yet Amy was still stuck on her imaginary friend, no matter how many times Mels shoved Rory in front of her. She remembered practically begging Amy for that whole week when she'd told Rory she'd consider getting engaged. She remembered her expressing doubts even after they were married and the anger she'd felt towards her mother when she found out that she'd escaped with the Doctor the night before her wedding. Yes, and now she was doing it again.

"No, River," Amy rushed to explain, wondering how much this woman had already assumed, "It's not like th-"

"Amy," River interrupted again, a tiny bit exasperated by this happening again, "I know the Doctor makes you feel young and happy with all his running around and adventures, but I thought we moved past this idea that you and Rory were going to spend your whole lives in the TARDIS."

"But what's so wrong with wanting to do this forever?" she murmured softly, crossing their arms. The crowd from the festival was getting louder. They were getting closer. "Don't _you _know what it feels like to want to stay on the TARDIS?" River must know how it felt to watch the Doctor leave her. Soon enough, she would know it better than anyone.

"You're right. But I've been studying the Doctor for the past two years, Amy. I've seen the records, read about the lives he's touched and the companions he's traveled with. Don't you think they all thought they were going to stay with him forever? And where do you think they all are now?" She paused, but Amy didn't answer, knowing it was a rhetorical question.

"Maybe it's different with us, though," Amy argued. She could pass it off like she was just talking about their friendship, but the Doctor loved her and she him. Didn't that count for something?

"No, he leaves them all," River said, shaking her head, "Even the ones he really does love. Has he ever told you about Rose Tyler?" Of course _she _knew about it. She'd seen the report on the blown up building that Rose worked at where Torchwood found evidence of the Nestene. She'd seen the investigation going behind the 19 year old girl's disappearance who suddenly showed up out of nowhere one day. She saw pictures of them taken on websites that followed the Doctor. Rose Tyler was even on Torchwood's files after somehow meeting _the _Queen Victoria. Torchwood Two was closely tied into the event where Earth was moved to a completely different part of space and they'd written up reports on it. And one spoke of the lovely Rose Tyler and what had happened to her, how she was in a parallel universe with a copy of the Doctor, one only had one heart and could live out a normal life with her.

"No, but I've heard about her," Amy replied, feeling a bit self-conscious. Jack had talked about Rose at one point, as well, and the Doctor refused to talk about her or any of his other previous companions. "Why?"

"Never mind," River said, realizing she was shying away from the point she was trying to make. Rose wasn't a big deal to her. The Doctor had moved on, and besides, it wasn't like _he_ was the only person _she'd _been with. Mels was _not _a perfect angel. She did much more than just telling off teachers and stealing cars. The only thing River didn't like about it was that Rose got the Meta-Crisis Doctor. She would be able to grow old and have children with him. You wouldn't think that River was the type of girl to settle down and pop out some kids, but the idea of being able to have a normal life with the only man she'd ever truly love sounded just a bit appealing. Still, River assumed that after her studies, the Doctor would come back for her and take her on adventures, just like he'd done with her mother and father. "My point is, Amy, that you need to go back to Rory. You need to stop dreaming of the stars for five seconds and realize that you have a home, a family, a safe life, and a loving husband back on Earth."

Amy swallowed back the lump rising in her throat. Was she really being silly in thinking that this could last with her and the Doctor? River was right. Amy was going to grow old and the Doctor was going to look like his stupid self forever. Well, unless he somehow died… And then he'd get a new face. The Doctor had even told Amy that she should choose all that stuff back home. But she hadn't wanted it. She _still _didn't want it. Not without him, anyways. But she gave River a convincing smile. She wasn't going to leave unless the Doctor made her. And that was that.

River smiled back, pleased to see that Amy seemed to be listening. She wrapped her arm around her shoulder and hugged her loosely. "Alright," she said, "Now that the serious stuff is taken care of, let's go see if there's any bad aliens enslaving a whole civilization, shall we?" Amy laughed and nodded, so glad that she'd mastered concealing her emotions after all that psychiatry.

They'd reached the pavilion by then and the place was crowded with people who were drinking some strange liquid that was no doubt alcoholic and eating strange foods that actually made Amy kind of hungry. They were all talking loudly and both the women picked up on something immediately. Some women looked scared, their husbands or fathers or brothers telling them to stop it and smile because this was a joyous occasion. Other women were smiling, but not with their eyes. Their eyes were the same as everyone else: worried. There were even some men standing off to the side, looking on with pity and sadness. "What the hell is going on?" Amy asked, "Doesn't look like much of a celebration to me."

"You've never seen sad drunks?" Rive returned teasingly, "And I thought you were Scottish."

Amy rolled her eyes and the women continued into the busy place. The redhead's nose wrinkled at the smell of the sweating bodies and, despite her hunger, that food was _not _smelling all too delicious and was causing Amy to feel a bit queasy. She looked over at River. "How can you stand this smell?"

"Oh, it's not that bad, Amy. Besides, I live in the 51st century. Believe me, I've experienced worse," she laughed. They weaved through the crowd and Amy immediately went towards a corner of men that weren't holding back on their drinking. She smiled and flirted, easing them up and making them laugh before she started dropping seemingly harmless questions. Girls had never really liked her, so she doubted anyone of them would open up. River took care of that, though. Since she looked to be older, she got along with the women more, who knew that this woman was older and more mature, had more authority and had things to say. That and she was positively good at making jokes, just like her mother, but it was harder to open the girls up. After about 25 minutes, Amy and River found each other towards the front of the party by a step of stairs that led up to the main temple.

"Okay, this is hopeless!" Amy cried, trying to be heard over the crowd of people.

River groaned. "You didn't get anything either?"

"Just a marriage proposal and some man groping my legs," she answered, tone irritated. Every time she'd tried leading up to what they were all there for, the laughing stopped and tension resumed. If she tried asking about any weird occurrences, they'd all be ignoring her and too busy staring at her short skirt and what it _didn't _hide. "You must have had some luck, River. Women _love _talking."

"Oh, trust me, they do," she said, shaking her head in slight frustration, "They talked about their husbands, their sons, recipes, the harvest, the latest gossip… I could hardly get a word in edge-wise and even when I did they all just got quiet for a second and gave me this look before resuming the conversation as if I hadn't said anything at all! Amy, you can see it in their eyes, though, can't you? They're scared."

"Yeah, but of _what_?" River was about to shrug and start brainstorming. Amy was just going to suggest going back and waiting for the Doctor in hopes that he'd found something. But then it got very, _very _quiet. The two women looked at the Mayans, who were all bowing their heads, staring sorrowfully at the ground, their bodies all turned towards Amy and River. They looked at each other, confused. "Why are they staring at us?" Amy stage whispered.

River turned her head ninety degrees to her left and her eyes widened. "Oh, my God." Amy turned her head to the right, eyes locking with the person standing by the doors. She felt pure fear rise up and flame up through her whole body and all the air was sucked up out of her lungs. Amy couldn't even speak. And that was saying something.

"Well, well. Isn't this a lovely surprise? Is that you, Melody Pond? All grown up? _Very _interesting." She didn't know this person, not at all. But Amy knew what that black eye patch meant. It was a woman, brown hair in a tight bun behind her, her lips a thin line and her skin was a soft brown tan. She was older, maybe in her mid- to late- thirties. Her voice was smooth and sultry-like, a bit of a Hispanic accent just on the edge of it. "And you're just in time."

"Time for what, Perez?" River shot back. Unlike Amy, the woman before them was no stranger to River. _She _knew who she was. And she had a bone to pick with her.

"Don't you know what we're all celebrating?" Perez giggled. The two women didn't answer and she sighed, and then looked at the rest of the crowd. "The Gods have chosen!" The crowd clapped and cheered, but the energy was stale and the villagers looked about, worried, wondering if it was them. Four men in familiar uniforms that Amy recognized from her time on Demon's Run came out of the temple's entrance. She said something quietly to them, something no one else could hear, and they all nodded, heading down the stairs. Before either Pond could guess what was going on, they surrounded Amy, grabbing her arms and holding River back.

"What are you doing?" Amy cried, "Get your hands off me, you numpties! Do you know who I am?" They ignored her, avoiding her wild legs that were kicking at anything it could reach.

"Oh yes, Amelia Pond. Of course we do," Perez answered, then turned back to the crowd, the volume in her voice booming and an excited grin gracing her lips. "That's why you're the lucky chosen one. Oh, they'll be so happy to hear who's dropped by for a visit."

* * *

><p>"What does it mean, Doctor?" Akna's questioning voice reached his ears. He hadn't talked to them in a while. His eyes just lit up with some sort of recognition, a mixture of fear. And then he'd started pacing, mumbling to himself, looking all around and checking his wrists before mumbling some more. "Doctor, you said you could help up. What are you going to do?"<p>

He didn't answer. Too many questions were swirling in his head. The Silence? What were they doing here? What was the point of coming to the Mayans and when did they start time-traveling? Where did they get the technology? Of course, the actual Silence had always been around, influencing Earth. They'd always been hiding underneath the surface and staying at the corner of your eye, forgotten as soon as you looked away. The Doctor didn't know how long the religious order had been around, though. He knew hardly anything about them at all, which was so infuriating since they were so bent on killing him and him and Amy had been choosing to simply run… That snapped the Doctor out of his reverie. "Amy… Oh, no. No, I have to get Amelia out of here."

"Who is Amy?" Bacab asked, tilting his head in confusion at the Doctor.

"She's my… My friend," the Time Lord replied, "And I have to go find her. She went towards the main temple. There was a celebration of some sort going on and she went to-"

"That's where my father is!" the boy grinned, "Children aren't allowed to go to it! And Akna had to watch us, but that's okay because she could have gotten picked!"

"Picked?" the Doctor asked, his nose scrunching in confusion. He looked back at Akna. "What does he mean?"

"That celebration… It's run by… By them," the girl explained, shifting uneasily. She didn't seem to regret missing out on the party either. "My mother was picked because she asked too many questions. They do not speak to the Gods like they say. I know they don't."

"Yes, but what do you mean by 'picked'?" he repeated. Akna's answer had given him little to no answers. Of course it was run by the Silence. Everything in this village was. "Picked for what?"

He watched Bacab and Akna eye him like he was a complete idiot. "Don't you know what that celebration is for, Doctor?" she asked, "It's a sacrifice."

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	11. Pretend I'm Alright

**Hi, everyone! :D Suprised to see me again so soon? Yeah, me too. But I really feel bad for my lack of updates and all that, so I went to work. This is actually the longest chapter I've ever written. Not including any of my annoying talk, it's exactly 6,950 words. So... Sorry to overwhelm you. But it's an important chapter and a lot of stuff had to go down! Also, I sorta... Kinda... Changed the plot... *ahem* ANYWAYS. **

**This title is from the song "Echo" by Jason Walker. **

**Nothing is mine. Except for like... The characters that I obviously have created. Like Bacab and Akna and junk. But I DIDN'T create anyone else. Nope. Someone else is totally responsible for the Mayans. Also, send in a review to get a sneak peek to the next chapter(: Okay. Enjoy!**

"A _sacrifice_?" he asked, remembering a little bit of the things he knew about the Mayans. They didn't have human sacrifices. At least not on a regular occasion. Or maybe the Doctor was mistaken. He mentally groaned. This was when he needed River, the clever archaeologist who probably knew all about this. No matter. He'd have to make due. "Like an animal?"

"Not anymore, Doctor," Bacab answered, shaking his head.

"There was a drought that lasted a very long time," Akna explained, "It lasted years and _years. _Our crops were dying and people were growing hungry, no matter how hard we prayed and no matter how many of our livestock we gave to the Gods. Nothing worked."

"But then the One-eyed people came," her brother broke in, "And they brought rain with them. They said that they could speak directly to the rain god and they took over the temples. People started asking questions, though, like my mother, and the One-Eyed People said the Gods weren't pleased anymore."

"So they started with the human sacrifices," Akna continued, "It happens every two moons. We all gather around the temple. One person is chosen. And then they are sacrificed to the Gods."

"I have to go," the Doctor said suddenly, going for the door. The Silence were here. They were exactly where Amy and River had headed off to. Of course they would recognize the two. Amy was the only redhead on that continent, probably, and, well… River's blonde poof of hair was hard to miss as well. They'd be seen in seconds. He only got two steps before someone was pulling on the tweed of his jacket. It was Akna. "What are you doing? I don't have time for this! My friends are in trouble!"

"And my family is in trouble!" the girl shot back, her voice lowering, "You said that you would help up if I told you about them."

The Doctor looked at her for a few seconds before sighing, resigned. He _had _promised and he couldn't just leave them there like that, not with the Silence all around them. He looked at his wrists again. Still no marks. That was good. Well, actually, not as the Doctor continued to think about it. That meant they were all with Amy and River. "Fine. But I'm _sort of _in a hurry. So, two things. Keep up and don't ask stupid questions. Got it?" When he received an affirming nod from both Akna and Bacab, the Doctor responded with one as well. "Alright. Let's go."

He grabbed Bacab's hand as Akna went into the front room to get a sling for the Tepeu, which would make it easier for her to run with them. The Doctor almost smiled fondly as he thought of Craig and the papoose he'd bought him once. Akna hesitantly took his other hand that was outstretched in her direction, the other pressing Tepeu firmly against her chest as they began running. They ran down worn path after warn path, going the same way the Doctor had gone when he was following Bacab. As far as he knew, it was the fastest way there. People, mostly elders and small children that couldn't go to the sacrifice, stared as three figures sped past them.

When they reached the temple, the crowd seemed to be in a celebratory mood and Akna breathed sharply. "They've already chosen. Look." And the Doctor did. He saw the shared looks between the villagers, who were too afraid to say anything towards their friend or family member about how great it had been that they hadn't gotten picked. He scanned the crowd and ran up to the edge of the giant mass.

The Doctor was growing more and more frantic as he continued to see no flash of red hair. He couldn't even find River, who was also easily recognizable from a distance. Did they leave? Maybe they were already at the TARDIS, waiting for him. "No," he muttered to himself, "That would just be too conveniently easy." And things were never really conveniently easy on his adventures. Sure, there was that "Hey, I totally just risked my life, but it's okay because I made it out alive!" sort of thing every now and then, when luck and chance helped the Doctor and his companion along. Suddenly, the crowd grew still and drums started. Soldiers, all with eye patches, marched out of the temple, surrounding the chosen sacrifice. The Doctor strained his neck to look over the crowd and see who it was. Could it be River or Amy? Had they been spotted?

He watched them walk down the long set of stairs, but he still couldn't see clearly enough. The soldiers made it to the bottom of the stairs and the crowd started to clear a path for them that led to another stone building that was thinner than the main temple, yet not as tall. To the side of the altar, at the very bottom was a pool of deep water, which was where the dead bodies were thrown after the flames died on their bodies. That night, the bodies would be fished out and given a grave somewhere. A Mayan priest followed the soldiers up the next set of steps that led to a stone table with torches on either side a few feet away from it. The priest reached the slab of rock, rolling out a bundle of dried grass on it. He next addressed the crowd. "We now commence with the sacrifice!" his voice boomed, as many of the villagers cheered. Either they were too selfish and relieved it wasn't them, celebrating that, or they were still just trying to keep up the act. "We do this in the name of Chaac, our beloved Rain God. We hope that in offering this young woman to him, he continues to look at us with love and good fortune, granting the rainfall that our crops and people thrive on!" More rejoicing from the crowd.

The priest continued to speak, but then Bacab pulled on the Doctor's sleeve lightly to get his attention. "Do you see your friend, Amy, Doctor?" the boy asked, instantly getting a smack on his arm from his sister, who then started scolding him in an angry whisper to shut it because he wasn't even allowed to _be _there.

"Let us begin!" The Doctor was alert once more, eyes on the altar. He couldn't understand what the Silence was doing, why they were even here, controlling the Mayans like this. Why were they having human sacrifices? What was the point of all this? The soldiers suddenly split apart and the Doctor inhaled sharply.

"Who's _that_?" Bacab asked, confused. Realizing he'd talked again, the boy had immediately flinched, expecting another strike from Akna. He looked up when he'd yet to feel impact, finding the girl looking at the alien, her face filled with sympathy and pity as she watched the Doctor's eyes widen, glued to the redheaded girl on the altar.

She understood what that look meant. She'd watched it on her father's face when her mother was chosen. And she even understood what the Doctor felt at this moment. It wasn't too long ago that Akna had felt the same way. "That's Amy, Bacab," she murmured.

The Doctor was frozen. Amy looked so scared up there. She was shaking, though he didn't doubt that some of that was rage. They'd bound her up, her hands tied behind her back and her feet shuffling closely together from the binds wrapped around her ankles. Her mouth was freed, though and he could see it moving, probably warning them who was to come after them as they laid her down on the mat of dried grass. Which is what snapped the Doctor out of his reverie. He had to get up there. He started pushing his way up to the altar, but they were all the way in the back of the crowd, a consequence of showing up so late, and a lot of people weren't budging. The Doctor had to use a lot of force making his way past everyone's shoulders and elbows, receiving shocked looks, confused expressions, and irritated glares at whoever was shoved aside as the priest went on about his prayer, everyone below bowing their head and silently saying words of praise and thanks to Chaac.

"Amy!" Usually making a scene was something the Doctor tried avoiding, but it was the only way he could stop this in time. "Amy!" The priest looked over at the man in a bow tie, exchanging a look with a soldier who touched his eye patch faintly, nodding as if receiving an instruction than said something quietly to the priest. Both of their expressions remained neutral and the Doctor couldn't tell what had been said. So he continued pushing through the crowd and making noise. People in the crowd were starting to look fearful, scared of what this outburst would mean for them. Would they all get punished? "Amelia Pond!"

The redhead looked up, hearing her name. At first, her face relaxed, knowing the Doctor was there to save her. But after hearing the soldier's instructions, Amy's face became scared, remembering that they were dealing with the Silence. Or maybe it was the exchange she had just heard. What had he said? "Doctor!" she cried, "You have to get out of here! Leave me!"

"I'm _not _leaving you!" he shouted back, pushing his way faster. Their eyes never left one another. Even as the priest moved behind Amy, a jagged knife in his hand, gaze focused on her body. He knew, though. The Doctor knew he was too late. He wouldn't be able to get there in time before they really did hurt Amy. And he was already preparing for a fight. The Doctor was about to shout out a threat, but then a loud bang filled the air. People screamed, not knowing where the noise had come from. It sounded so foreign and strange to them. They'd never heard something like that in their life. The closest thing was the sound of lightning striking. But the Doctor smiled. He saw the priest jerk back his hand, the knife shooting out of his hand and falling down the side of the altar and into the water below. It was a gunshot. People were running all around him and the Doctor looked back quickly to Bacab and Akna, who were talking with a man he assumed to be their father. They all looked up to meet his eyes and he gave them a nod and a wave. Akna gave him a short nod in response. She was smart enough to know what it meant. The Silence were going to be too distracted with him and his friends now and he'd be back for them later.

"River Song, great timing as usual!" the Doctor grinned happily. She gave him a wink, strolling up alongside him.

"Shall we go save Mummy now?" she asked, before the two ran up the stairs to Amy. The priest was already cowering on the ground as the group of soldiers started to fire their guns. River and the Doctor ducked their heads, not really having any cover. The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver and pointed at one of the guns, the weapon falling apart in the soldier's hands, and then moved to another. River fired her gun back, her victims crumpling to the ground and the others, realizing it was a lost cause, jumping down into the water as well, hoping to escape the fate of dying at the hands of the great River Song.

Upon reaching the top of the altar, River scanned the surroundings, able to see anyone that rose up against them. But there was none in sight. She mentioned this as the Doctor was untying Amy, who was actually being quiet as she rubbed her released wrists and stood up, making an attempt to get some dry grass out of her hair. The Doctor looked around him and saw no one either, then checked his wrist. There still weren't any markings indicating he'd seen a member of the Silence. "No, there's really no one around. Where are they?"

"Who cares?" Amy asked, looking anxious. She just wanted to get out of there. "Isn't them _not _being around a good thing, Doctor? We should go before they show up."

"No, it's too easy," he sighed, looking at Amy, then giving her a smile, pulling her close and kissing her forehead, both hands on either side of her face, then moved them down to grab her shoulders and pull her back to look at him. "Are you alright, Amy?"

"Yeah, of course," she answered, nodding quickly before looking back down at her wrists, "Doctor, can we please just leave? _Please_. I want to get out of here."

"What did they do to you? Did they hurt you?"

Amy didn't answer for a moment and didn't meet his eyes. He tilted her chin up and Amy exhaled slowly. She glanced up, brown eyes on green and gave him a weak smile. The Doctor knew she must be trying to be brave. "It doesn't matter, alright? You saved me, didn't you? They can't hurt me now."

"I'd just like to point out that _I _was the one that saved you," River broke in, looking back up at the two after slipping her gun in her holster, "I would have been there sooner. I knocked out the guards with a bit of my homemade lipstick, but that door didn't open from the outside. I was waiting for you to come out. And then _someone _had to go and make a scene." The Doctor looked over to see River's pointed gaze directed at him.

"Oh, and I was supposed to know that our favorite assassin was hiding in the wings?" he argued.

"Should've, Sweetie," she sighed, starting down the stairs, "You know me better than myself, apparently. Now, I expect your screwdriver can get us in? We can't just leave the Silence here."

It was true. The Doctor had promised that he would help people out with the Silence and he didn't very much like the idea of them playing with this important civilization much. But he looked over at Amy who was following beside him, who was still so quiet. He knew she was afraid of the Silence and Demon's Run. He knew it was one of her greater fears and that sticking around probably didn't sound like such a pleasant idea to her at the moment, but the Doctor knew she would understand. Saving people was part of the job, one of the best, actually. She looked up to catch him staring and gave her another supportive smile. If River weren't there and they weren't in a city filled with members of the Silence, the Doctor would have probably had her wrapped in his arms, not letting go for a second. At least until she felt safe again. "I just don't know why they're not attacking us," the Doctor said, "They've been chasing Amy and I all over. They kidnap her and attempt to kill her, to make me watch. They obviously failed, but… What? Are they just giving up and waiting until next time?"

"Doctor, they were gathering an army here," Amy said suddenly, biting her lip as soon as she said something. But the Doctor was already looking at her with questioning eyes, wanting to know what else she knew. She sighed and continued, "I saw some of the villagers in there. They're getting 'volunteers' for the Headless Monks. They say there's going to be a battle soon, a _big _battle. _The _battle and they were getting prepared."

"Why were they telling _you _all of this?" River asked, "Perez is hardly the woman that reveals what she's thinking."

"Wait, who is Perez?" The Doctor had yet to meet the woman they were talking about.

"Kovarian's replacement," River replied, tone careless, "She failed to get the job done, so they put Perez in charge." The Doctor's eyes widened. Of course. _That _was why they had started to kill Madame Kovarian on the alternate timeline. Because she had failed her job to kill the Doctor at Lake Silencio, despite all that effort in raising Amy's daughter. Melody Pond was supposed to be their great weapon in a bitter, endless war, though the Doctor wasn't sure how he'd gotten himself in the middle of that still. Now that Melody had failed to kill the Doctor, it was Perez's turn to take a shot.

The Time Lord unsuccessfully tried to hold back a snort. "So, raising a bigger army is the only trick she has up her sleeve? At least Kovarian was a bit creative."

River rolled her eyes. She was already over her bad childhood. She had the Doctor now to look forward to. But Amy spoke up, her tone icy. "'Creative' isn't really how I'd like to describe me getting kidnapped for almost a year and having my baby taken from me to be raised as a killing machine, Doctor."

"I didn't mean it like that, Pond," the Doctor responded softly, "I'm sorry. I didn'-"

"It's fine, Doctor. I'm just… Being almost sacrificed tends to make a girl a little crabby," Amy interrupted, giving him a smirk, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She didn't like that the Doctor thought he was hurting her. He wasn't. It was just a little difficult sorting out her emotions. They seemed to be everywhere, though Amy thought that was reasonable, considering her condition. Like she told the Doctor, she'd almost _died _a few moments ago. But she had to get through this. She had to get the Doctor and River _out of there_. If it meant getting rid of the Silence, then that was just what she was going to have to do. Amy Pond was on a mission. "So, about to save an ancient civilization, yeah? What's the plan?"

"The plan is…" The Doctor trailed off, thinking. "Well, uh, the plan so far is to come up with another clever plan! First, there's some friends I have to go see. They had to leave without me, but I'm sure they're very worried and I think they might just be able to help."

"Locals?" River asked, "Doctor, the locals haven't been talking to Amy or I. Are you sure you can get something out of them?"

"Trust me, River," he said, tone cocky, "I'm the Doctor. I can get anyone to open up. Right, Amy?"

"What? Oh! Yeah!" the redhead responded, looking away from where she had spaced off, "Come on, Doctor. Show us where these _friends _are."

Going back to Akna and Bacab's home, the three couldn't help but notice something. There was no one outside anymore. No one was working in the fields. No one was walking down the streets. They peeked from behind their windows. One child had wandered outside their house, but their mother quickly grabbed them and rushed them into the house, never looking away from the Doctor, River, or Amy, muttering something to her child that made him look back up at the group with a guarded expression. Everyone thought the three were responsible for what had happened at the sacrifice, which in fairness, _was _true, and were scared of being seen with them. What would the One-Eyed people do to them if they thought they were being friendly to the intruders? Everyone in this civilization was ruled by fear of the Silence, strengthening the Doctor's belief that he _had _to get rid of their influence here.

"So, what are your friends even going to do?" Amy asked, "Because if it's the people you were with at the sacrifice, Doctor, they were kids."

"And? Compared to my almost 909 years, you all are kids to me."

"Doctor, you're setting yourself up like this on purpose, aren't you?" River smirked, looking at him from the corner of her eye. The Doctor looked back and she laughed at his confusion. "The fact that you just called me a child and yet you find me absolutely sexy."

"I never said you were sexy!" he protested, glancing towards Amy, but she didn't seem to be paying attention again. She had her hands over her face, fingers rubbing circles over her temples from a headache.

"You don't have to, Sweetie!" River continued, but then followed the Doctor's eyes, a little upset that she had lost his attention, and frowned at Amy. "Are you alright, Mummy?"

"Yeah. Sorry. It's just that smell was driving me _nuts _and then the heat… I just have a headache."

"Do you want to go back to the TARDIS?" asked the Doctor, wishing she would lower her hands so he could see if she was okay. "I can run some scans after I get back, if you want."

She didn't respond for a moment, thinking. A part of Amy didn't want to leave. She didn't like the idea of leaving the Doctor alone with River, who was as flirty as ever and still thought the Doctor was hers. At least with Rory in Cwmtaff, he already knew, had already accepted it and had moved on with another woman. At least he hadn't made sexual innuendos including himself and Amy every five seconds. But she squashed that part of her, blaming it on her mess of emotions. She also wanted to stay for the adventure, the thrill of it, but Amy knew she wasn't going to be able to make it anyways. She needed to go back to the TARDIS and get herself under control. It was the only way.

"Yeah," she sighed, pretending to sound more disappointed than she really felt, "I need the key."

The Doctor dug through his pocket and held it out for her to take. One of Amy's hands left her face just as it lowered down, blocking the light from hitting her face with her hair. "Amelia-"

"Stop worrying about me, you idiot," she interrupted, sounding like her old self, "I'll be fine. Just… Try to make it back, yeah? If you die, I'm gonna have to kill you again and I'm not sure how many regenerations you've got left, Doctor."

He chuckled, shoving his hands in his pocket and nodding. "Alright, Pond. I'll be back in a bit."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, turning around and heading off towards the TARDIS, "Do your thing. Save the world and all that. I'll make sure to have dinner ready by the time you get home."

"Feel better, Mummy!" River called, the pair smiling. Maybe what Amy needed was a bit of rest. The Doctor was still worried though.

"What do you think they did to her, River?" he asked, walking again and making the last turn. Bacab's house was in sight. They'd be there in a few minutes. "You would know. You're the one that grew up with them."

"Yes, but I hardly remember anything. It's all a bit of a blur, really. Everything I did was what they told me to do, though I couldn't ever remember them _saying _to do it. The only reason I even remember them now is because Amy's told me the stories. I barely remember Madame Kovarian. I just get a watery, distorted image of her. And I'd completely forgotten Perez until I saw her today."

"Do you think they hurt her too badly? I didn't think to give her a scan with the sonic. Maybe, I should go…"

"Doctor, she'll be fine," River interrupted, "Amy is safe in the TARDIS. We have to focus on saving everyone else, alright?" River didn't say that she didn't doubt that the Silence had hurt Amy, though it probably wasn't physical. They were more likely to mess with her head somehow. They always loved doing that. They loved distorting someone's reality and playing little mind games. Still, she'd only spent maybe an hour or so with them. And this was _Amy. _She was strong and brave and she didn't keep secrets from the Doctor, not for very long. River knew that Amy was going to get through it and that she would tell the Doctor what had happened when she was good and ready. At the moment, the blonde was just going to smile and flirt and take advantage of the fact that she was alone with the Doctor. River had a feeling that saving the world with him was going to be the closest thing they'd ever get to a date.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this, Bacab?" the Doctor asked for the hundredth time. The boy nodded, adjusting his earpiece and giving the alien an excited grin. Of course he was okay with this. He was a little boy that was about to go on a dangerous adventure. No difference in time and space would ever change a boy's love for adventure. "Okay. So. Repeating plan so we're all on the same page. F-"<p>

"We're all on the same page, Doctor," River sighed, her arms crossed. Akna stood next to her father, who was letting Tepeu play with one of his hands, rough from his hard work in helping with the harvest. "Bacab is going in to find the base of the temple. Then he's going to turn off the system they have controlling the weather. Then you're going to have Bacab go into the control room and launch the ship into space with the coordinates you gave him, then go back to the TARDIS and pick him up from inside the ship before quickly leaving. We return everyone back to their rightful places. The end. Did I miss anything?"

"No," the Doctor grumbled, "But I sort of _enjoy _the part where I get to explain _my _brilliant plan, thank you." They had started talking with Akna and Bacab's father, and when the Doctor had inquired about the newer temple, one that was on the other side of the village and only used by the One-Eyed People to speak to the Gods, he couldn't seem to remember how long it had taken to build, where they'd gotten the materials if their culture was declining so badly. He couldn't even remember his builder friends talking about working on it. It was just… There one day. And no one had ever questioned it. The Doctor couldn't go into perception filters all too much, mainly because electricity, simple and basic, hadn't even been invented yet. Talking about alien technology that not even Amy really got was just too time-consuming and the Time Lord had a civilization to save. He knew that the Silence had been influencing Earth for years, since before the Mayans. And they'd be here long afterwards. But their other servants had to get here _somehow_, and that meant there had to be a spaceship of some kind. Or some form of time travel. Or a bit of both.

There was also the matter of the Silence "bringing rain with them." The Doctor knew that they had much better technology and didn't doubt they'd assessed the drought and the problems it was causing for the Mayans, getting a fancy gadget that controlled water precipitation and put more moisture in the air. They used this to establish control over the people. And the Doctor was going to make sure that the Mayans realized that the Silence weren't in control of the weather. It was all just a machine. And Bacab was going to break it. Of course, being the intelligent girl that Akna is, she had her worries. "What about us?" she asked, "If you take the rain away, how will we thrive?"

The Doctor had River explain to Akna what her civilization was going through and the archaeology student went on to tell that the Mayans all split up, scattering around to whatever surrounding tribe would take them in. Akna found this only a little reassuring, still wondering what would happen if her family didn't find such a hospitable place. Her and her father were also worried about Bacab, but the Doctor slipped thick frames over Bacab's face and told him that whatever the glasses saw, the Doctor saw. He had River take out a portable screen and sonicked it so the glasses transmitted the video onto her screen. "We all set, gang?" he asked, excitedly, his enthusiasm only really matched by Bacab. He turned to the boy, leaning down to meet his eye level with hands on his shoulders. "I'll be with you every step of the way, got it? You're a very brave boy, Bacab. And I forgive you for stealing the screwdriver."

Bacab gave him a grin, ignoring his family's shocked looks upon hearing that the little boy had stolen something of the Doctor's. Akna's hands dropped into her head, frustrated with her brother. "Do I go in now, Doctor?"

"Slip this onto your neck and go in with the priest. He's headed this way right now," he replied.

"But what does this do?"

"It makes you unseen. But not completely. It just makes people not _want _to see you. Like that temple we're sending you into. If you're being too noticeable, people won't have a choice. They _will _see you and it'll stop working. So lay low and keep quiet, alright?" Bacab nodded as the chain was slipped over his neck. The Doctor grinned. "Alright, go on, Bacab. We can see you right now only because we've already noticed you. Now, go. Follow the priest. And, Bacab?"

"Yeah?"

"If you get scared, I want you to come back," the Doctor instructed. He remembered what it was like to watch people die around him at Demon's Run. They were brave, all of them… All so very, very brave like Bacab. "Don't even hesitate."

* * *

><p>Bacab had managed to slip in easily and it wasn't long before he had turned off the machine that the Silence was using to control the humidity in the air. The Doctor could tell from outside, any clouds existing in the sky drying up quickly and the air becoming hotter and drier by the minute. "He needs to move faster," the Doctor said, "They'll see the weather change and know it was me. I'm not giving them any warnings or choices because I know they won't take it. He's just going to have to turn it off." River pressed the microphone on her ear piece and spoke into it, telling the boy he was going to have to find the main control room and send the ship off, that they would be watching him and there to save him when the ship was safely out of the village.<p>

The Doctor looked at the screen that showed the inside of the temple, wondering why they had picked here of all places, though he knew it was probably because the Silence knew that no one would notice any alien disturbances like in the 21st century, and the Mayans were a very intelligent race of people. Why _wouldn't _they pick the Mayans? "Come on, Sweetie," Rive said, hand looped underneath the Doctor's elbow, heading off to the TARDIS with Akna and he father, "We have to go to the TARDIS and get Bacab." The Doctor nodded. Something _still _didn't seem right with all this, but he just wasn't sure _what_. He would have to figure it out in the TARDIS, though.

When they reached the blue box, the Doctor nodded and gave River and Amy the job of explaining how the TARDIS was bigger on the inside and all that to the family. Amy wasn't anywhere to be found, but the Doctor knew she was probably sleeping. She would probably be out for a little while longer. She was scared and he didn't doubt her dreams were all going to be nightmares for a little while.

It wasn't long before Bacab found the control board, the Doctor watching on the screen and telling River instructions, guiding the boy through the complicated commandeering of this ship. And then the TARDIS was off, locking onto the coordinates of those glasses. Akna went and sat on one of the chairs, bracing herself and Tepeu when the time machine rattled through the time vortex, jostling everyone about. There was a light knock on the door and Bacab was in, locking the door behind him and getting cheers from everyone, a mighty hug from his father and the Doctor, a light punch and then a kiss on the cheek from his sister, and another kiss on his other cheek from River, evident from the lip mark on his little cheekbone. Luckily, she'd since wiped off the hallucinogenic lipstick. Right before the Doctor had started to take people back out of space, there was a thud against the door, but the box was already starting to fade. The Doctor could barely hear the person as they cried out louder over the noise. He didn't even hear the knock. Only Amy did, but she had a feeling she knew who it was and she _wasn't _opening that door. Not if her life depended on it, which, actually, it did.

"Doctor," Bacab said as everyone was saying their goodbyes, "I have something for you."

"Aw, you got me a present?" the man grinned, "You shouldn't have! But really, what is it?" The boy shrugged, slipping a piece of paper into the Doctor's hand. He unfolded it and read the contents of it: 21/12/12. It was the supposed apocalypse. And it was scrawled in red pen that seemed to remind the Doctor of someone, but he couldn't quite place it at the moment. "What is this, Bacab?"

"A woman gave it to me and told me to give it to you when I saw you next. She told me to tell you that it is where everything ends."

"A woman? Wh-" the Doctor began to ask.

"Bacab!" Akna cried, "We're waiting for you! Hurry up!" Bacab shrugged at the Doctor's unfinished question, about to say something before Akna interrupted again with an even more irritated yell.

The Doctor puzzled over the piece of paper. Maybe that Perez woman had given it to him. But why would _she _give him the date of when he was supposed to save Earth, something that he'd already done? He slipped it into his coat pocket and walked over to the door, standing beside River and waving goodbye to their new friends. "The Mayan civilization isn't going to end for a few decades, you know," River told him, "And we never got to figure out the meaning of the Mayan calendar!"

"We'll save it for another time," the Doctor smiled, closing the door and going back to the console, "Now, time for you to get back to your studies, Ms. Song."

"Oh, Doctor," she pouted, "Just one more trip? I just want to go to the Singing Towers! They're supposed to be _quite _romantic, you know."

He shook his head, continuing to type the coordinates in for the university. There would be a time and place when he took River Song to the Towers, but it wasn't then. The Doctor wasn't even sure if that would happen considering the fact that him and Amy were together now. "Maybe another time," he said, flipping a switch. River came over with a sigh, learning from his last couple of trips that the Doctor definitely had some errors when it came to flying the TARDIS. She flicked the blue stabilizers, receiving a glare from the Doctor that she only returned with a triumphant smile when he pulled the lever and they landed smoothly. "Blue boringers…" he mumbled and River had no idea what the man was talking about anymore, "You better go. I'm going to check on Amy."

River moved over to the Doctor. "Don't think I'm done with you, Sweetie," she smirked, grabbing the lapels of his coat and pulling him towards her, lips meeting lips. The Doctor flailed at first, hoping Amy didn't come out to see, because then things were _really _going to get complicated. But his hands went to River's arms and he kissed her back for a second before pulling away with a smile. He had to remember that Amy also didn't want their cover to be blown and that as far as River knew, she had a future with him. She didn't know about their timelines yet or Lake Silencio. And even though that made the Doctor feel so guilty, he knew that there was no way he could change it.

"Goodbye, River," the Doctor sighed and River chuckled, smoothing her hands over his jacket before turning around to head out the door, her hips sashaying as she headed to the TARDIS doors.

When she reached them, she stopped. "Take Mummy home soon, will you?" she asked, her worried eyes finding his, "I've tried to talk to her about it, but she doesn't want to listen to me. She's too stubborn. But you and I both know that she belongs with Rory. You can't just come and pick her up whenever she's starting to feel the tiniest bit insecure about her life, Doctor. If you really get bored, just come visit me. I can think of a few things to keep you entertained." She gave him a wink, but River was serious about Amy. She didn't like that Amy wasn't with Rory at the moment, making her some siblings and arguing over what color to paint the kitchen. She knew it was how it _should _be, though. Amy just needed to stop and realize that, and the Doctor needed to quit enabling her. "Goodbye, Sweetie."

The Doctor wasn't even sure how to react to her words and as she shut the door, he leaned against the console. Had he made the right decision in letting Amy stay with him? He knew that they couldn't work, that she would grow old and he wouldn't. She would die and he would regenerate. She was human and he was a Time Lord. But the Doctor wouldn't take back a second with Amy and couldn't find it within himself to regret kissing her back and having her find out about his feelings for her. But did that mean it was right? Or that he was just selfish?

* * *

><p>She didn't make it in time to get to the box. But she'd heard it from her room in the temple, the one that she'd most recently acquired, and she leapt up, opening the door. Despite her being such a troublemaker, Perez didn't feel the need to lock her door. She said there was no chance she could escape anyways. The place was covered in guards and the Doctor was long gone after following their plan perfectly. Perez had predicted his every move and he'd fallen into their trap so easily. It almost made the girl cry to think about it as she ran towards the sound of the box, her feet pounding on the stone. But when she got to it, the TARDIS was already starting to vanish.<p>

Her fists banged against the door and she cried loudly. "No! Doctor! Doctor! Let me in! Please! It's me! It's-" But then her fists started to fall into empty space and the wind was starting to die. The TARDIS was already gone, spinning through the time vortex. "No…" she whispered, falling to her knees and letting herself cry. She almost never let herself do this, but no one was around anyways and the tears were already falling down her cheeks heavily, her sobs wracking through her thin frame. He'd left her. Again. And he didn't even know it. He didn't even know she was here. And now the prisoner only had one hope left. She'd seen the boy running down the hallway by her room and heard a clatter when he dropped his glasses. He picked them up, noticing one lens was cracked, shrugged, and put it in his pocket.

"Wait!" she cried, but guards were starting to round the corner. She wouldn't be able to really tell the boy everything. Not before they stopped her. Quickly, she reached into her back pocket and grabbed a marker and a small thing of mini Post Its, both things she'd learned would come in handy in a lot of situations. "Come here!"

The boy's eyes lit up with something like recognition and also wonder at how she could see him. He had the necklace on. But what Bacab didn't know was that she'd had her experience with perception filters and this one that he had on was pretty weak, obviously made by someone who lacked any real supplies. Still, it might be enough to trick the guards. But seeing their prisoner talking to no one would probably look suspicious enough so that they would start to question what the hell she was doing. "Hey, aren't yo-" he began to say.

"Look, I don't have much time," she said in a rush, "You're going back to see the Doctor, yeah?"

"Yes, I'm on my wa-"

"Give him this," she interrupted again, the guards coming near her as she scribbled down the numbers. She knew all about Perez's plan. In the short time she had been in the temple, she knew the plans and everything. She knew that they were trying to kill the Doctor before he reached a certain place, somewhere called "Trenzalore" or something, but she had never even heard of it. "Tell him this is where everything is gonna end. Tell him to come find me." The boy opened his mouth again as he took the piece of paper, but the guards were starting to get closer and he realized that he better start running.

As she sobbed on the ground, she realized that that boy and that sticky note were her last chances of the Doctor finding her and saving her from this place. She just hoped he knew what they meant. Because they weren't just any old numbers like an address or the date. And she was going to make sure the Doctor saw it.

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	12. Sittin' on the Sea

**Hi, everyone! I meant to post this yesterday, but I sorta don't have internet, so wifi is hard to come by. But it's my birthday today, so I made people let me use their wifi for like... An hour. xD ANYWAYS.**

**The next couple of chapters shall be quite fluffy. The last few books and movies I've watched have all had sad endings and then I finally picked an ending for this story, and this girl just needs a break from all this angst. Despite my love for it. I love it so very much. ^_^ I also think you all are going to need some fluffiness before we go into the plot. Haha.**

**Let us remember that I do not own Doctor Who. I only own this planet and this species, but whatever. I don't feel like getting all technical right now! Also, review to get a sneak peek! :) Oh and this title is from "Daydreamer" by Adele, which just happens to be one of my favorite songs right now. Okay dokay. Done talking. Enjoy!**

It had been almost a week since their encounter with River, the Mayans, and the Silence. And Amy still hadn't told the Doctor what had happened to her when they took her into that temple. He tried asking. Of course he had. The Doctor was pushy and curious, but he asked as gently as he could each time. Amy always changed the subject, yawned and claimed to be tired, or suddenly decided that she wanted some green tea and better go put the kettle on. So, the Doctor decided there was really only one way to fix her mood and get Amy out of the dumps: take her somewhere amazing!

He had a lot of ideas in his head already, wracking them up and making a list of every place he could think of that would absolutely stun Amy with its beauty and strangeness, a sight that she had never even dreamed of when she was just a little girl sitting up by her window on Earth and gazing at all the stars as she waited for her Raggedy Man. There was the planet with the giant hats that he'd never gotten around to taking her and Rory after getting stuck in that '80s hotel, the moon that had the space station with the biggest food court in the universe, the planet three galaxies away that had purple people who drank endless amounts of orange soda, the volcano on Slatheus that spouted chocolate (which was actually quite toxic for the natives, but a great treat for any other visitor), and Ubeltor's ice skating rink that was actually _on top_ of the city's capitol. There were more, but it wasn't until he actually went up to Amy that he narrowed it down to one.

"I don't know," she shrugged nonchalantly as the Doctor asked what she'd like to do. She wanted to mentally hit herself for at least not _trying _to make herself convincingly enthusiastic. Amy tried a smile. "Um, I feel like a swim? The TARDIS pool is great and all, bu-"

"Yes… Perfect! Water! I know where we're going today, Pond!" the Doctor interrupted, his grin gleeful as he hopped over to the coordinates.

Amy couldn't help but give a small, amused smirk. He may be a complete idiot, but she couldn't say it wasn't endearing. She cleared her throat and pulled up alongside the Doctor, her hands hovering just over the controls, not actually touching them because of what had happened the last time Amy had tried her hand at driving the TARDIS. She knew he was worried about her and something inside her hurt because of that, but Amy wasn't going to say what had happened back in that Mayan Temple. She'd be dead if she did and Amy really didn't feel like giving up on all of this too soon. She was in a better mood, of course. After she'd left early to go to the TARDIS and taken her time to rest, all her emotions were in a better state and the headaches were gone. Well, for the most part. Still, she knew she was acting odd and she had to pull it together before the Doctor _really _started to worry.

"So, where are you taking us next?" she asked, lips turned up and actually quite curious as to what he had in mind for them to do that day. For the past five days, they'd stayed low in the TARDIS, the Doctor making sure the Silence were away and that Amy was okay. He didn't want to make her deal with the running and the scary aliens after the adventure they'd just had, but she said she was fine now and he was going to believe her. Of course he did. She was Amy Pond and she knew the Doctor would trust that she'd open up to him, or at least try to get better.

"Zaneoplia, the capitol of the planet Aguamantine!" he replied, finishing the coordinates and grabbing onto the console, "Better hold on, Pond!"

Amy followed his orders and grabbed at the console as well, her hands brushing against his. The shock from the contact made Amy gasp and lose her grip just as the TARDIS lurched and began to go through the time vortex. Luckily, she was able to grab onto one of the seats before she flew out the TARDIS doors. When the shaking stopped and the TARDIS had landed, the Doctor came over to her and looked at Amy, puzzled. "Are you okay?" he asked. All he'd done was touch her. Actually, it was the other way around. It wasn't like they hadn't done anything more before. Well, not really since their last trip. The Doctor had stayed up most of the nights, puzzling over the set of numbers he'd received from Bacab, the note still in his coat pocket. Meanwhile, Amy would fall asleep in the library, where she spent most of her time lately.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Amy swallowed, rising up from the tangled mess her long limbs had gotten into and dusted off her skirt and legs, "Sorry. I didn't think your hand was going to be right there."

"Right…" he replied, nodding his head slowly, not getting at all what had made her jump still. They'd _never _had a thing for personal space when it came to each other. Not even when Rory or River were around and before the Doctor and Amy had ever told each other how they really felt. "Are you sure, Amelia? We don't have to go anywhere today if you don't-"

"Just shut up, quit worrying, and take me somewhere amazing," Amy interrupted with a roll of her eyes, "I was just surprised is all. No need to make a big deal about it, yeah?" She really wanted to die of embarrassment at that moment and had to remind herself, again, to get herself together.

"Fine, fine!" the Doctor sighed, raising his hands up defensively, "Cool planet, it is! Be careful opening the doors, will you?"

"What? Can't trust your parking abilities, Doctor?" she teased, "Don't tell me we've landed in the water." The Doctor only replied with a mischievous smirk that Amy missed as she opened the blue door of the TARDIS… To see more blue. Except this was different. This was a light, clear blue. "Oh my God. You landed us in water."

"I couldn't help it! The whole planet is submerged in water." The Doctor looked at Amy as she took in where she was at, the rainbows of colors from the coral reef below them and also from the fish jetting by, not the same fish that she was used to, but definitely some pretty ones. They were all more translucent and had brighter colors. The sand was a pure white, made only brighter by the sun that was filtering through the sea water.

"Sorry, but how are we not wet?" she asked, peeling her eyes off of the scenery to look at the Doctor, "Or, you know… Drowning?"

"TARDIS' force field," he shrugged, "But I parked us over the tourist port, _so _we'll be able to get a less noticeable piece of transportation. Now, come along, Pond. Time for an underwater adventure!" The Doctor grabbed her hand, the tiny flinch from Amy not escaping his notice.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she asked, looking at his stance and the glint in his green eyes.

"Jumping!" And then Amy felt a pull on her arm, the loss of contact between the TARDIS floor and her feet, and then cool water rushing over her whole body, the Doctor's warm hand in hers.

The water was cold enough to be refreshing, but not enough to where it was uncomfortable. Amy looked over at the Doctor with an expression between shock at what was around her and irritation at being shoved out of the time machine. He could only give her a grin in response, pulling her hand again and pointing towards the building below them. Amy could only assume this was the tourist port. The whole place was a clear dome, large. This planet must be pretty popular if it had this much room for its tourism. Clear tubes shot out of the top and went all the way up past the surface of the water, transporting air-breathers down into the port like a lift.

The Doctor and Amy swam down to the front of the building, taking her to a metal tunnel that was about three meters long. There was a red button on a panel by the entrance, which the Doctor pressed without hesitation. Amy just hoped he knew what he was doing and that he knew how to get them inside, because her lungs weren't going to hold out forever. But just as the dull ache from the lack of oxygen began to grow, gates behind them closed around the entrance of the tunnel and Amy could hear some sort of machine going. And then the water started to lower. Amy started to realize that this was how they got into the dome. When the water was pooled down to their feet, her leather jacket and skirt dripping, Amy stared at her boots with a sad expression. "They're ruined," she sighed.

"Oh, Amy. Are all women like that about shoes?" the Doctor teased.

"Yes, mostly," she sniffed, "Besides, like you have room to talk! I'm surprised you're not crying about your stupid bow tie!"

"Bow ties are cool," he said, simply, tweaking the tie, "Now, get ready."

"Get ready for wha-" Amy began, but then another machine started up, interrupting the redhead and hot air filled the room, huge, hidden fans blowing out her wet hair. The wind was pretty strong, but Amy could still hear the Doctor laughing, finding herself giggling alongside him. It was only a matter of minutes before she found herself dried off again, the fans stopping and the only sound in the room being the laughter still coming from the two of them. The Doctor remembered Rose had a similar reaction to the sanitizing systems at the Sisters Hospital on New Earth, but brushed that aside. He was just happy that Amy was having a good time here. Maybe his plan to cheer her up really was working.

The wall opposite of the tunnel's entry gates suddenly split open, apparently a set of gates as well. A holographic woman appeared next to them, a professional smile painted on her lips and an empty, yet friendly, gaze in her eyes. "Welcome to Zaneoplia. I am Tour Guide 001701. I will be your travel companion, helper, tour guide, and friend today as we take a journey around the greatest city on the planet Aguamantine. First, let us check in."

The Doctor and Amy met each other's eyes and shrugged, following the hologram as she led them out of the metal room and into the main lobby. Saying it was busy would be an understatement. The large dome was practically filled with people, all being ushered by holographic security to form neat lines as they all tried to make it to their ports to set off to see Zaneoplia sites. The Doctor apologized to whoever he hit with his elbows, while Amy cursed whoever bumped her for not watching where they were going. Eventually, they got to the ticket booth and the Doctor dug through his pockets for a plastic card.

"Since when do you have a credit card?" Amy asked, looking at him incredulously.

"Not a credit card, Pond," the Doctor explained, "Well, at least not the kind you're talking about. This galaxy has a point system, actually, and this was a gift from a friend a few centuries ago when I was three planets over from here… Funny story how I met the guy, actually. He had six tentacles and a third eye."

He was just about to launch into a story that Amy probably would lose interest in after the first hour, but, thankfully, Tour Guide 001701 reappeared by their sides after their purchase of two tickets and began speaking again. "Great job. Now that the order of business is set, we shall start our tour. Please follow me to the transport deck."

The transport deck was just as busy, but Tour Guide 001701 guided through the crowds with ease, not even hitting anyone. The Doctor and his companion tried their best to keep up, but some of these aliens obviously weren't from planets that had many manners. The whole place cast a blue light from the glass walls that surrounded them and the deck was no different. Glass-like spheres jutted out of the walls, with a metal bottom made of the same material in the entrance tunnel. They were large enough to fit several people and a steering wheel peeked out from where Amy could see.

"Is that what we're going in?" she asked, pointing to a glass sphere as they neared the front of the lines. Four people walked inside, sitting down on the white, cushioned benches that were on either side of the door, the steering wheel and the driver's seat being taken over by the group's tour guide, which was just across from the door and in between the two ends of the benches.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded, "Don't worry. They're perfectly safe and I hear they're pretty comfy. The tour is about an hour long and they have oxygen filters that keep everything fresh and circulated, they've got music stations, _and, _even better… _Cup holders_."

"We don't have any drinks, Doctor."

"Yeah, but it's a cool feature anyways!" he argued, "Which reminds me, the TARDIS has anything and everything but _not _cup holders? I'm going to have to add that new feature in when we get back."

The Doctor started to get impatient with waiting in line, so he started chatting up one of the people next to him, which turned out to be someone related to that friend of his with the three eyes and six tentacles. Apparently, that species had a long life span, because the alien was still alive and well and Amy and the Doctor were talking to his great-nephew. He seemed to especially take a liking in the redhead, something that didn't necessarily please the Doctor all too much later on in the conversation as its tentacle was draped over her shoulder, the alien making his fourth flirty joke that Amy could only blush at and laugh uncomfortably. When Tour Guide 001701 told them it was time to board, the Doctor couldn't be happier, pulling Amy away in a rush and calling over his shoulder to tell his old friend "Hello from the Doctor."

"You've got some good taste in friends, Doctor," Amy laughed, climbing into the sphere, the Doctor following her from behind, "Quite the looker, too."

"Oh, shut up," he muttered, moving over to the bench opposite her.

"Alright, Doctor and Amy Pond," Tour Guide 001701 said, "It is time to begin our tour of the beautiful city of Zaneoplia. First, we will begin with the oldest church in Aguamantinian history. It was built by-"

"Uh, yes, excuse me, Tour Guide," the Doctor interrupted, already growing bored with whatever she was going to say. He already knew about the old church and had seen it countless times in books and also the one other time he had gone to this planet. But there was really only one destination he had in mind.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"When do we get to the Royal Palace?" he asked

"I'm sorry," the woman said, frowning but her eyes still managing to smile and seem cheery all the same, "But the Royal Palace has not ever been a part of the Zaneoplian tour. This is because of the 43rd law that makes sure no unauthorized citizens disturb the Royal King and Queen and/or cause them harm."

"Well, that's rubbish!" the Doctor cried, clearly upset, "Complete rubbish! No one has tried to overthrow the monarchy for three centuries here!"

"I am sorry, Doctor," Tour Guide 001701 replied unapologetically, "But I promise you that this tour will be filled with amazing sights and interesting locations. For example, our next stop is the oldest church in Aguamantinian history. It was built by the famous architect-"

"I _know _who built the oldest church!" he interrupted again, "I was the one that told him to go with the top tower made completely of stained glass!"

"Doctor," Amy sighed, "Just sit down. It's fine. I can see the palace from here."

"It's not the palace that I want you to see," the Doctor returned, exasperated, "It's someplace _at _the palace!"

"I'm sorry," Tour Guide 001701 said again, picking up pieces of the conversation and having her programmed response repeat itself, "But the Royal Palace has not ever been a part of the Zaneoplian tour. This is-"

"Rubbish," the Doctor finished, fishing out his sonic screwdriver, "Change of plans, Tour Guide 001701. We're going to the palace."

"I'm sorry, but the Royal Palace has not-" The Tour Guide's voice started to get fuzzy after that as the Doctor aimed the sonic screwdriver at her.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Amy hissed, "It's not _her _fault we can't go to the palace."

"I'm not hurting her or anything. She's holographic," he replied, the image of the woman vanishing, "Besides, since when did you or I ever follow the right path when it comes to new planets? Hm? We make our own tours! Next stop: the Royal Palace!"

Amy watched the Time Lord climb up into the driver's seat and take the steering wheel. She rolled her eyes, sliding next to him. "You're forgetting that it's sort of _illegal_ to be near the king and queen."

The Doctor turned around and flashed her an excited grin. "Like that's ever stopped us before, Pond." And he was right. So, the redhead just held onto the bottom of the white bench for dear life, laughing at the sudden speed that the sphere had picked up. With Tour Guide 001701 as the driver, Amy never would have known just how fast these things could really go. Even though the palace was on the other side of the city, though still large enough to see from the tourist port, they made it in a matter of minutes.

"Here we are," the Doctor announced, gesturing below them as the vehicle started to slow, "The Royal Gardens of Zaneoplia!" Amy looked down below them, the ship moving to let her see better. Yes, he was right. This was definitely better than the actual palace. She'd always had a thing for gardens. Even before her Raggedy Doctor had crashed his box, she'd loved playing in her aunt's garden. When she was in the Two Streams facility, Amy had had loads of different places to choose from. But the only place she'd ever chosen was the gardens at some alien mayor's mansion. But this place had that garden with the freaky hedges beat. There was absolutely no competition.

"Oh my God," she gasped, taking in the scene. This wasn't like any other garden Amy had seen, mostly because it was all underwater. There was large, tall, coral that reached almost up to them and they were a good 9 meters above the garden. They were all different colors, deep, dark blues and purples and bright, bold yellows and reds and oranges and greens. There were flowers waving gently in the water, all strange and alien and vibrant and absolutely gorgeous. There were paths of sand and stones, a large statue in the middle of something that looked almost like a mermaid, except its face wasn't at all human. It was all scrunched, almost like Gibbis, the alien they met in the '80s hotel, except with long hair and wide eyes. These must be the Aguamarinians.

The Doctor had stopped driving altogether, looking back at Amy and studying her expression closely. "How amazed have I made you this time, Amelia Pond?"

"On a scale of one to ten?" she replied, turning away to look at him with a wide grin on her face, "Uh, definitely a 9."

"A _nine_?"

"Well, I can't let you get _too _big of a head, can I?" Amy teased, looking back out the window, "The smugness is already unbearable as it is."

The Doctor stuck his tongue out and turned back to the wheel, lowering them down closer, just above the stone paths. "Amelia," he sighed, swiveling around in the captain's chair to face the redhead. She turned around to meet his green, worried eyes. "I'm worried about you, about what happened at the temple. You've been acting strange-"

"Doctor, I'm fine. Really, I-"

"Amy Pond, don't you lie to me," he said in a low voice, "You are my best friend and I love you. I think I could tell when something is wrong. So, go on."

She didn't know what to say to him. She certainly couldn't tell the truth. That would ruin everything. But could she lie to him? He was right. She was Amy Pond and he was the Doctor and despite all circumstances, he _knew _when something was wrong with her and he _knew _when she was lying. So what was left to say? If you can' tell the truth and the lie will be spotted the second it leaves your mouth, what more is there to say? "I… I-"

But Amy was interrupted by the sound of a siren, a red light shining on the sphere. The pair turned to the right to see a sphere with "Palace Security" written on the bottom metal part. "Right," the Doctor muttered, "We'll talk later. We have to run away from the guards now."

"Wait, Doctor," Amy said, her eyes widening, "How serious is Aguamantinian law?"

"I don't know. Hopefully, today is not the day we find out."

* * *

><p>"See?" the Doctor smiled, "That wasn't so bad."<p>

"Yeah, you're just lucky they let us off with a warning," Amy returned, "You hacked their computer system, broke a hologram _and _a travel sphere, ran away from security, and let's not forget trespassing!"

"Oh, like you didn't have any fun," he laughed, taking her hand in his on their way back to the TARDIS. This time she didn't flinch away from him and she was smiling alongside him. The Doctor decided he wasn't going to ask anymore, because Amy was happy again and he had to believe that someday she was going to get around to telling him. It wasn't like he told her all about himself, either. The Doctor looked over at her just as she looked back to meet him. "I love you, Amelia Pond."

She didn't answer for a moment, just staring back at him with that smile on her face. "I love you too, Doctor," Amy said finally and the Time Lord raised his empty hand to cup her cheek. He could feel her pulse quicken and wondered why Amy seemed so nervous. He leaned in close, his lips barely brushing hers. She didn't even know it, but her lips responded of their own accord, parting and deepening the kiss, pulling the Doctor closer by the lapels of his jacket. The Time Lord couldn't help but chuckle against her mouth. She was always pushing those boundaries with him. But there was something off. The Doctor was just about to point this out, but it wasn't like he wasn't enjoying this. And then there was the interruption.

"Excuse me," a woman's voice said, sounding very familiar. The Doctor and Amy pulled away from each other and turned to see a holographic woman, the same as the one they had. All the Tour Guides looked the same, though. "I am Tour Guide 211212 and I have a message for 'The Doctor.'"

Both their eyes widened at the familiarity of the number. They both knew what it was, the apparent end of the world, the set of numbers on the note in the Doctor's coat pocket. "What is it?" he asked, "What's the message?"

"'Doctor, I'm waiting. Find me where everything will end."

"Who said that? Who told you to give me that message?"

"I'm sorry, but the sender did not leave a name. I was only left with a message." The hologram gave the two a smile and walked away after that, back to go help the next people who were on a trip. The Doctor just wanted to understand what was going on. He wanted to know who was sending those messages and what the set of numbers meant. Amy just hoped he wouldn't find out too soon.

* * *

><p>She didn't know why they were just watching at first. She didn't understand why the Silence was always making sure that they were around the Doctor, and yet they sat there and did nothing to him. That was until she realized that they were enjoying this, enjoying watching the Doctor smile and be happy like she was seeing just now. They enjoyed watching him think that he and his Amy Pond were safe. But they weren't. He wasn't safe. And neither was Amy. She started to tear up just thinking about it, thinking about her poor Time Lord. Because he didn't belong with that girl in the TARDIS traveling around with him.<p>

She tried not to think about it, but the jealousy and rage and complete sadness overwhelmed her as she slept in whatever holding cell she was put into, changing as they traveled alongside the Doctor. She knew they weren't going to do this for long. It was only so that they knew their current attempt at getting the Doctor didn't end up like the last. Perez was going to make sure she succeeded. The Silence was getting impatient and Trenzalore was closing in.

Watching the screens before her, Perez stood beside her, observing. She watched as the Doctor and the redheaded girl beside him held hands and kissed and smiled and laughed together. She tried not to show what she was really feeling, not wanting Perez to see how much this killed her. The only satisfaction she got was when the Tour Guide came over to them. No one seemed to take notice of it. It was something she had snuck, being let out for a few minutes. She'd escaped, though. And she had run. But the Silence weren't going to let her go, so after locating Tour Guide 211212, she was only able to leave a short message. There wasn't any audio from the security tapes, either. That helped. The Silence had hacked the computers and the security files back in the tourist port. It was a pretty simple system and had only taken them a few seconds. This was all just a few hours ago, though. The Doctor was already back in the TARDIS, off to his next destination.

"Better," Perez commented, the video paused right as a puzzled Doctor and a worried Amy Pond went back towards the TARDIS, "Definitely improved. We'll have to start in on Phase 2 soon." She next turned the woman beside her. "What do you think?"

She didn't respond for a moment, knowing her voice was going to sound cracked. She swallowed down the hard lump in her throat. "You're not going to win this. You know that, don't you? He'll find a way out of this. He always does."

"Oh, I don't know about that. The Doctor seems to be falling into our trap quite nicely. Really, I don't see why you're in such a bad mood. We even let you out today to go see the tourist port while the Doctor was away at the Royal Gardens and you tried running away. Which reminds me, now that our little movie night is over; it's time for you to return to your room."

Two guards showed up behind the woman and grabbed her arms. She didn't even have the will to fight. What was the point? Where would she even go? She was in open space right now, the whole ship drifting as they waited to receive orders of their next destination. This apparently had just come in, because just as she was being dragged out of the door, she heard a small beep coming from a text message from a cell phone.

She heard Perez laugh. "Oh, very classy, Doctor. Very classy. Alright. We have our next stop. Guards, make sure someone is out by her cell at all times. We can't have her escaping and ruining the coronation ball, can we now, Mrs. Pond?"

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	13. A Feeling I've Never Felt

**Hi! I totally would have posted this earlier, but I lack internet. So, here it is now!(: It's another one-chapter adventure! I think it's one of the last, though. Anyways, thanks for the reviews! And enjoy!**

**Oh, and this song is from one that I've already used, but it was in the last story. "All About Us" by He is We. In fairness, it applies to the chapter! So do not judge me for my lack of creativity! And in the last chapter, Perez said they were going to a coronation ball, but this is a completely different thing. Like... Later. So, don't get confused! More so than you're supposed to be anyways. :P**

**I own nothing. At least nothing that you recognize. Review and possibly get a review. I'm most likely posting this next chapter on like... Sunday. Which is in two days. So, you might not have a great window of time...**

The Doctor came out of their room in his top hat and suit, a sonic cane in hand. It was exactly what he'd worn in Berlin after River poisoned him, and even in that serious situation Amy had silently giggled at his attire. "Never knowingly be serious" was Rule 27, something the Doctor followed quite often. Still, Amy hadn't seen that he was wearing it quite yet, seeing as she was taking hours to get ready. Well, not that long, but the Doctor's watch had her at eighty-three minutes and he'd been ready half an hour ago. "Amelia!" he whined, leaning against the TARDIS door, which his companion had locked. He had parked the blue box right outside of the palace, off to the side near some shrubbery and the Doctor had _thought _that Amy was ready, but that was twenty minutes ago. And then Amy locked the door on him when she got sick of him coming in and rushing her. "We're going to be late!"

"We have a time machine, stupid!" she yelled back, "Now, shut it. I'm almost done!"

"I don't even understand what is taking so long," the Doctor muttered to himself, but Amy had heard him. She opened the door, causing the Time Lord to stumble backwards before he caught himself.

"That's because you're a silly boy who doesn't understand the girl's process of getting ready," Amy sniffed as she entered the night air.

The Doctor turned around to face Amy, righting his hat that had almost fallen off when the door he'd been leaning on had suddenly opened. His eyes widened and he backed up to get a full view of the redhead. She was absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a red dress with a sweetheart neckline that didn't show all that she had to offer, but enough to remind the Doctor that there _was _definitely something. There were black lace flowers draping over one shoulder, serving as the only strap, the skirt poofing out just at her hips and stopping mid-thigh. Amy had obviously decided to stick with her usual hemline, not that the Time Lord was complaining at that moment. Dark, lacy tights ran down her long legs, and the outfit was finished with black flats. Amy was never one for heels. The only time he'd ever seen her in any sort of high heels was at her wedding and even then, she'd taken them off fifteen minutes into the reception.

"So?" she asked, twirling around, "What do you think? I have another one that's green and a little longer, but I don't know… I sort of like-"

"You look absolutely amazing, Pond," the Doctor broke in, unable to keep his opinion to himself. Her hair was off to one side in a simple looking twist, though from the amount of time it took her to get ready, he didn't doubt it to be more complicated than meets the eye. She had on her gold necklace with the "A" on it, but that and a small, black handbag seemed to be her only accessories.

Amy beamed, feeling heat rise to her cheeks and the butterflies in her stomach stir. And she was too happy to care that she felt this happy. She glanced at the Doctor's outfit and gave him a questioning look, before bursting out laughing. "You're not seriously wearing that, are you?"

"Why?" The Doctor looked down at his suit. "I think I look cool!"

"Right," she nodded slowly, failing at hiding her smile. The Doctor hit her lightly with his sonic cane. "Oi! Watch it, Mister. Just because I'm in a dress doesn't mean I can't kick your backside."

He laughed, taking Amy's hand in his and pulling her towards him for a kiss. The two smiled at each other for a small moment before the Doctor turned around. Amy touched her lips softly. It was weird, kissing him. She sighed, looping her arm into the Doctor's, and decided to stop thinking so much. The normal Amy was supposed to have fun with the Doctor and she couldn't have fun if she was busy thinking about _this _and that message that could be sent at any moment, or even that message that the Tour Guide had delivered at the tour port a couple weeks ago.

"You ready, Amelia?" The Doctor looked to his companion with a soft smile.

She narrowed her eyes. "You only call me Amelia when you're worried… Don't tell me you just realized that there's some sort of assassination tonight, but don't want to say anything because you don't want me to make fun of you."

"What? Of course not!" he replied, mouth open in shock that Amy would even think of such a thing like that, "The only thing I'm worried about is how many men I'm going to have to bat off of you tonight."

"Well, then," Amy smirked as they walked up the steps. They stopped at the doors and they both turned their heads to look at one another. "Better stay close, Mister."

Exalta was mainly humanoid, but it was known as "the melting pot of the Glowkinian galaxy," especially in the Jenallian era, which was where Amy and the Doctor were at time-wise, only ten years off before 5 billion, which meant there were a lot of different species from all over. Some of the species the Doctor hadn't even seen, but he _had _read about some of them and enjoyed giving Amy fun facts of each guest that passed by them. The ball room was large, bigger than two Buckingham Palaces, and that was just _one _room in this place. There were crystal-like chandeliers except that they had a light purplish tint to it, almost like an amethyst color, white stone floors, rich curtains over the large windows stretching over the far wall behind that golden throne that went from the floor to the ceiling, all made of beautiful stained glass that the three moons in the Exaltan sky shone through, causing little spots of color on the dance floor. The whole place was so colorful and vibrant, unlike the birthday boy that sat at the top of the throne. This was a celebration for the future King of Exalta, Philip, who looked to be about 15 and very bored with himself.

He was definitely handsome with blonde, scruffy hair that indicated he probably didn't care much for the party and getting ready for it. The queen, though, she was beaming and happily finishing off plates of hors d'ouevres, glancing over at her husband occasionally with a smile filled with food, returned with a soft smile back. They both had blonde hair as well, but the queen was stocky and not so attractive. It was clear Prince Philip had gotten his looks from his dad.

As the night progressed, more and more people were noticing the girl with the fiery hair and the daring red dress. Of course, Amy could point out that there were some people worse than her attire, which was maybe why the Doctor hadn't gone and told her to change. A man that had been dancing with the queen early on was wearing a pink suit made out of what seemed to be lycra. There were others that were a bit more covered and not as attention-grabbing. One older woman wore a muted, brown Victorian-style dress that went up to her neck, her husband also in the same style of clothing, the same color, and every part of his body covered but his face and wrists. The Doctor explained that it was all a culture thing and told her that _she _was mainly making a splash because of the red color of her hair; though having the shortest hemline was also a factor. Neither Amy nor the Doctor seemed to notice that the prince had taken notice of the Scottish woman, who was, clearly, standing out amongst the rest.

There were a lot of people that asked Amy to dance, and sticking to her advice, the Doctor stayed close, his fingers lacing with hers to show everyone that he was her date. At first, he let her go off and dance, wanting to be polite, but after the thirteenth guy to come up, the Doctor decided that maybe it was best to head over to get some punch. He pulled her towards different people to talk to, interesting species that he hadn't seen in quite a while, and had even found an old friend. It was a woman with dark skin and a rich green dress that fell to the floor gracefully, golden swirls and leaves embroidered all down the silky material. The weirdest thing about her was her body, though. It wasn't weird in a bad way… It was just that… Well, she was a tree. Partly. The Doctor told Amy while they watched from afar that her name was Jabe Ceth Ceth Jafe and that she was a very influential Tree of Cheem**.** The Doctor said that once the humans reached space, they wouldn't stop. They would try to reach each and every star that they'd ever seen as children, looking out of their window and up into the night sky. Jabe was evidence of that, her species starting from the intermixing of humans and the natives of Cheem**.**

Amy tugged on the Doctor's hand, wanting to go up and talk to her, but held back. "It's too early in her time stream," he said, looking away at some distant part of the white, sparkling floor. He had only met Jabe once, the day that she died. She had sacrificed herself to help the Doctor and stop Cassandra from killing everyone that was in a ship over a dying Earth. She had burned alive and the Doctor had watched, but was unable to mourn her loss considering the fact that Rose and everyone on board was in grave danger and would all meet the same fate as Jabe**.** But he didn't tell Amy any of this, who was still looking at the woman just a few feet away from them, still fascinated by the beauty of her twisting branches sprouting out of her head. "She won't remember me, Amy. I only really met her once and I had a different face. She _did _fancy me, though. Can't see why. I had such big ears…"

Jabe seemed to finally feel someone's gaze on her, because she then turned her head away from some orange, fat, sweaty man she was talking to and met the Doctor and Amy's eyes. Unlike most people, who would probably look awkwardly away, Amy waved. Jabe waved tentatively back before returning to the conversation with the man that seriously reminded Amy of an Oompa Loompa.

"Amy!" the Doctor whispered loudly, taking a drink from his punch. He'd even brought his fizzy straw that made it all the more delightful. "What are you doing?"

She turned to look at him curiously. "Why don't you ever talk to anyone in your past?" she asked, and the man in that ridiculous top hat drinking out of a curly straw looked at her sharply, "The only person I've seen you talk to from before me is Jack. And River, too, if she really counts as being before me."

He didn't say anything for a moment and she watched his green eyes carefully. The Doctor was always so guarded, giving half-truths or plain, old lies. But he never lied to Amy. He just didn't tell her everything. There were, of course, a few times here and there, but, in fairness, most of it was all for her own good. Or, like the very first lie he had ever told her, when he had promised to come back in five minutes when she was a little girl, they were accidents. She could see something in his green irises, deciding what to say, whether he should give her the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, or if he should change the subject and distract Amy with something silly.

"Come along, Pond," the Doctor smiled, apparently deciding to do the last one, "Time to cut a rug!"

"I still have no idea what that means," Amy laughed, being pulled towards the dance floor. She would let it go… For about two minutes. Honestly, you would think that she'd be pushier about this, and usually Amy was. If she wanted to know something, she'd find out. It was different with the Doctor, though. He had _big, dark _secrets and was such a complicating man. He was also very fragile, something the Silence was very happy to learn at Demon's Run, when he had been pushed to anger so quickly, to sadness as he watched his best friend back away from a hug from him, both of them blaming him for the loss of her child. Amy had never wanted to be pushy in learning things about the Doctor, because uncovering one of his secrets always came with a possibility of danger and a bad mood for the Time Lord. He didn't like talking about his past, but Amy was tired of treading carefully around the subject. She had to test him, to see if she really was the girl he could tell everything to, the girl to whom the Doctor trusted most in the whole universe.

The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver towards the silver, complicating sound booth that was playing the classical music and pressing a button. "What are you doing?" she asked, a little worried. Was there some evil alien around here that she had missed out on? Amy wondered how well she was going to be able to run in this dress.

"Hold on," he answered, upping the frequency on the screwdriver and trying again. Something seemed to work this time and the song changed. Amy felt something stir at the first few notes, seeming to remember it. But what was it? The Doctor smiled. "There. Our song."

And then she remembered. It was the song they had danced to at her wedding, when the Doctor had looked at her and called her beautiful, when he told her she was a great kisser, when they both had decided that they couldn't be together and had to move on. Oh, how things had changed since then. Amy grinned, staring back at the Doctor. Neither even noticed that everyone around them was looking about in confusion, wondering what had changed. This was a completely different style of music than the queen liked, who was talking to a servant, who started to make his way over to the music booth. Too bad the Doctor had locked the song. They wouldn't be able to change it. Besides, from the prince's finger tapping lightly to the beat on the arm of his throne, he seemed to like a little bit of He Is We as well.

"You know, I used to sing this," Amy murmured, her hands around the Doctor's neck, his hands placed gently on her waist. They were closer than they'd been before, not having Rory watching over them, no appearance to uphold, no boundaries. Amy tried to tell herself that she could pull away from the Doctor if she wanted to. Because this was just an act. And he wasn't hers. He belonged to a girl that somewhere else in the universe, probably afraid and angry, though she really shouldn't be. The Silence wouldn't harm her. They said they wouldn't. The Doctor was a great man, of course. Amy couldn't deny that. But everyone had to die someday, and it was better for all of time and space if it happened sooner than later.

"Hm?"

"When you were gone," she recalled, with a shrug. "After you left us to go to Lake Silencio and all that. Rory said I used to hum it or sing it in the shower. I guess I didn't really even notice, but I suppose all that psychiatry taught me to miss you subconsciously." She laughed softly at the psychiatry bit. But Amy remembered the pain and emptiness after the Doctor left. It had always felt like that after her Raggedy Doctor disappeared in his blue box _again_.

The Doctor, whose head had been leaning against Amy's, looked up suddenly. His eyes were filled with a sort of sadness and guilt that seemed to come with his 909 years of life. "I'm not going to leave you like that again, I promise," he murmured and his voice was pure honesty, "I will always come back for you, Amelia Pond. _Always_."

Amy stopped breathing for a second and she was sure her heart skipped a beat. What was she supposed to say to that? He didn't even know that the Amelia Pond he really loved wasn't dancing in his arms. She tried her best to focus on that part of his words. She tried to remember that that promise was not meant for her and was one that he couldn't keep. Amy hadn't meant to make him feel bad, so she smiled and pecked his cheek quickly, blinking back any tears that could possibly be swelling in her eyes. "Doctor, don't make any promises you can't keep," she whispered, staring down at his chest, "You leave everyone, don't you? That's why you were alone when you found me. Jack… The others… You leave them when it's time for their adventures to be over."

"No. _They_ leave _me_," the Doctor replied quietly, "They leave me because they have to, because they've found somebody else. And some just forget me. You all break my hearts in the end, but I can't stand to live without you."

"Is that why you don't visit people after they've left the TARDIS?" she asked, "I remember in that dream. You said that you'd come back to visit, but Rory and I both knew that you don't visit people who leave."

"Amy, they all grow up and leave. And I won't stop them. I bring chaos and turn their lives upside down. Look at Craig and all the trouble I bring _him_ and he's only been in the TARDIS once! But you're different, you see? I've always known you were special. I questioned it at first, but really… You are absolutely glorious, Pond. No matter how dark it gets, I turn around and you're there for me with fish fingers and custard and a disgusting cup of green tea. And that's why I will always be there for you. I _always _come back, I promise."

"But you won't promise that you're never going to leave me again?" Why did she feel genuine fear when Amy thought of the possibility of the Doctor leaving her again? She told herself it was just because that would ruin everything. If he left her, how was she going to carry out her job?

The Doctor didn't speak for a bit, and Amy began to wonder if he was ever going to answer the question. She leaned her head on his shoulder, faintly hearing the fast rhythm of his double heartbeat and his soft breathing, blending with the soft music beautifully. "You told me not to make promises I can't keep," he said suddenly, and Amy knew why he had taken so long to answer. Because he was about to decide to lie to her for her own good. But the pang in her heart and her intensifying fears made her wonder if she would have rather had him lie.

His green eyes remained peering at her face, gauging her reaction. He expected her to be upset by it, to be angry. The Doctor expected Amy to throw a fit about it and _force _him to promise to never leave her. Amy was always so disagreeable, always arguing, but the Doctor realized why she wasn't saying anything, why she looked away from him and pressed her cheek to his shoulder. Because she knew it was true. Other companions, like Rose, thought that they'd be there forever, that they were different. And, in a way, they were. Each companion had something special to them. If they didn't, would he have brought them into the TARDIS in the first place? Rose thought that she was the only one, but Amy understood and accepted that there were people before her, that other people got left behind. After all, she was one of them. While other companions knew of the Doctor that just popped up into their life and brought them on some fun trips, Amy, for twelve years, knew him as her imaginary friend that didn't come back. Unlike other companions, she'd seen and gotten used to the Doctor leaving her.

The pair swayed slowly to the music, neither one really in the mood to speak anymore. It was strange, there being silence between the two. But Amy didn't know what else to say and neither did he. She didn't know if she should do just what the Doctor expected her to do. Should she argue and bicker, point out how completely dysfunctional that was? Tell him that she shouldn't have to be afraid all the time of him leaving her? She'd known what she was getting into when she chose to be with the Doctor and not Rory. He'd warned her that though she was the girl with the fairytale name, she would not get the fairytale ending. And Amy honestly didn't want that. She was the Girl Who Waited and she had long since accepted that title. Then there was the other reason, the one the Doctor had yet to learn, one that made Amy not want to persist and make him tell her all his secrets. Because she had a secret of her one as well.

She wasn't the real Amy. So, how could she really be upset that the Doctor was going to leave her other than the fact that it would ruin her mission? _Why _would she care enough to get upset? Amy was a Flesh copy, but she had the training of a soldier in her and she was created with one sole mission: kill the Doctor before he reached Trenzalore. She was the Silence's last hope, a last minute project when they had realized the error so obviously made by Madame Kovarian. Now it was Perez's turn to lead the troops to victory and this Flesh copy of Amy was their secret weapon. Not only did they have a spy like they had with Amy's avatar from before, but they also had a sure way to kill him, to ensnare the Doctor in their trap. She was Amelia Pond, the girl he couldn't resist, and now they had a copy of her, with all her memories. The only difference was that they used their Flesh machines to focus on her negative emotions. All that fear of him leaving her again, her insecurities and doubts… There was so much for the machines to feed off of and turn into drive and determination for a soldier that wanted revenge.

But this copy, well, she had spent time with the Doctor and she saw the way he loved her, or at least the original her. And killing the Time Lord just didn't seem as easy. Of course, Amy was still going to do it. She needed to. She had to remember that she had people who loved her back on Earth, too, and that they were in danger, that everyone was in danger. A man as powerful as her dancing partner shouldn't be as free, shouldn't have control over the universe, not with the dangers he brought. Still, from the time she had spent with the Doctor, Amy could tell that he was a man with two very big hearts, and though he was a man that needed to die, he was still good. And he was still her best friend. Not that Amy would go so far as to say she had any sort of romantic feelings for him. Because that was against the rule and that would ruin absolutely everything. That would cloud her mind and make her forget why she was really here. She was here to save the universe.

"Excuse me," an unfamiliar voice said and the Doctor felt a light tap on his shoulder. He pulled away from Amy, who peeked from over him to see who had been speaking. "May I have the next dance with this fine, young lady?" What the woman saw made her want to giggle, but she hid it as a cough when the Doctor nudged her with his elbow. It was the prince of Exalta, and the Time Lord was _pretty _sure that laughing in his face at the offer would be considered more than a bit rude on this planet.

The song was already starting to end, so the Doctor smiled and nodded once. Amy had received a dozen different offers that night, but he had told them, politely, to get lost. But the Doctor decided to let her have this one dance. After all, it was the kid's birthday. "Of course, Your Highness," he replied, bowing slightly, before fully stepping away from the redhead, "I'll just be over there, Amelia."

She shot him a look that he didn't miss, one that said she wanted to smack him upside the head for making her dance with this prepubescent boy. The Doctor waited until he was a good way away from the dance floor before he began snickering, though, once he looked back over, he could see that the boy was a much more graceful dancer than he and seemed to be a good conversationalist, because Amy was already laughing at something he said. If the boy wasn't complete jail bait, he _might _have been a tad bit jealous.

"I am Eliot," the boy said, taking Amy into his arms. He was a whole head shorter than her, not hitting the growth spurt just yet. She smiled at the tone of his voice, obviously trying to play the "cool guy" with her. He knew that she was a guest at the party, so she _must _know all about him. Little did he know, her and the Doctor were sort of crashing it. "Sorry about the party. My mum planned most of it, though, or else it might not be so boring. My dad just told me to go along with it and pretend to be happy."

Amy's smile widened. "Oh, it's not that bad of a party, but I _have _been to some wilder ones in my day. And happy birthday, Prince Eliot." Though it never really happened to _her,_ Amy could still recall all those days on the playground and in the hallways by her lockers, all those boys that had chased her. Most were like Eliot, trying to be a tough guy that didn't seem to care about anything. Maybe that was why she'd picked Rory out of the lot of them. Most of the villagers wouldn't say it, but Amy still believed he was the most beautiful guy in that town; the only one that had ever really acted real around her, which was the one thing the fairytale girl needed back then.

"Really?" he asked, smirking. Eliot was lean, but underneath his burgundy vest and white silk shirt, Amy was sure his muscles were just the tiniest bit defined. His eyes were a misty gray that reminded Amy of London weather and tanned skin that showed he went outside. She assumed he was probably one of the sports types that didn't care much for dancing and parties, though Amy had to admit he was doing a hell of a job. The Doctor had stepped on her feet three times during their dance, but they were all from when they were talking and she was sure he would argue that he was way too busy talking to her about serious matters to focus on his fancy footwork. "Well, I suppose my next ball I throw will have to be wilder, at least enough to please you, m'lady. You never said your name, by the way."

The redhead laughed. Oh, this boy really thought he could play Casanova and win her heart over, didn't he? "My name's Amy Pond," she answered, and then leaned forward to whisper in Eliot's ear, "And I don't mean to be rude, Prince Eliot, but I don't think you could handle my kind of wild." When she pulled away, Amy gave him a wink, and by the end of the dance, it was _Eliot _that was left blushing and grinning like a lovesick idiot.

After a few more dances, two being interrupted by the prince asking for another dance, to which the Doctor begrudgingly accepted, the pair were off, out the grand, marble doors and heading down the steps of the palace to the hedges where the TARDIS was parked. Eliot ended up following them outside and making it difficult for Amy to leave.

With the door closed behind them, the Doctor broke out into a laugh, one that he'd obviously been holding in. She gave him a glare. "It's not funny, Stupid!" Amy cried as the Doctor up the stairs, while she kicked her flats off at the door.

"You shouldn't have been such a tease!" he continued laughing, "Really, I feel sorry for the poor boy." Not really, but in fairness, the kid _had _spent half the night flirting with his date and _then _proposed to her right in front of him outside just a few moments before.

"I wasn't teasing!" she sniffed, following him quickly up the stairs and leaning up against the TARDIS' console beside the Time Lord, "I was just being friendly and then he came out of nowhere and asked to marry me!"

"Right," the Doctor nodded; though his tone and facial feature made it clear that he didn't believe that for a second. He turned to look at Amy. "Because whispering in someone's ear, dancing extremely close, _far _too close in my opinion, and kissing him on the cheek _isn't _teasing."

Amy didn't speak for a second and the Doctor thought he had won the argument, but then Amy's hands slid over his as he typed in keys to enter orbit of the planet that gave birth to ice cream. "Doctor," she began innocently, and he looked up to see a smug smile growing on her lips, "Are you jealous?"

"What? Me? Jealous?" he repeated, "Of that boy? Of course not! Slightly annoyed by his persistence? Yes." The Doctor stopped what he was doing, turning around to look at his companion. He really couldn't blame the prince for forming a crush on Amy, especially not in _that _dress with _that _hemline. Red always had been a good color on her and the black lace wasn't helping much. His eyes met up with a smirk on Amy's lips, who obviously knew that he was checking her out. "I don't need help understanding why he was so taken with you, though."

"No one can resist my charm and wit," Amy returned jokingly, "Not even the weirdest of aliens that thinks fezzes are cool."

"Fezzes _are _cool," the Doctor corrected, wrapping his arms around Amy's waist. Her hands went up and her fingers bent around his shoulders. He pulled her closer, then pressed his lips to hers.

As the kiss deepened, Amy was again confronted with the idea that her feelings were growing for this Time Lord, but she had to remind herself that she wasn't even _capable _of feeling that way. That wasn't in her programming. She had anger and jealousy and loneliness and pity and even a tad bit of guilt. But being with the Doctor after some of these adventures had made her feel less lonely, less angry, less jealous, while the guilt and pity grew. And somewhere between Aguamantine and Exalta, she also learned kindness. But Amy knew that love was not something that she wanted to feel, so she would refuse to learn it. This was just an act and it was to keep this mission alive. So she let the Doctor's hands begin to roam and play with the hem of her dress, pulling it up ever so slightly. She let herself push his black coat off and begin working at his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

Should she stop this? Amy had never done this with him and had hoped she never would. There was so much running and adventures and the Doctor never really asked about these things. She remembered that it was usually _her _that was supposed to bring it up. "Wait," Amy murmured, pulling away, "What about the, uh, the ice cream or whatever?"

The Doctor gave her a puzzled look. Amy _never _pulled away from a situation like this, at least not with him. She was the one that was always so eager, taking his hand and dragging him away to the bedroom. He would always chuckle at his hormonal human, but it _had _been a while for them and that dress really did look too good on her. "I believe you pointed out earlier that we _do _have a time machine, Amelia," he said, "The ice cream can wait. Besides, they never have any toppings. Now _that _was the humans. Creative bunch, you are. You just throw anything on your desserts and call it good."

"Shut up," Amy grinned. She liked when he talked about her species like that. It always reminded her that he wasn't human, that he was strange and alien and he was all hers. Well… Not _hers _hers, but still Amy's.

"Are you going to make me?" he asked flirtatiously, suddenly reminding Amy that her body was pressed between his and the console.

"You know I will," she returned and the Doctor grinned back at her. Amy decided that she had to play her part and that there was no getting out of this. It didn't really seem all that bad anymore, not in her current position. She grabbed him by his shirt collar and kissed him, to which the Doctor responded enthusiastically, a bit surprised at the force in it.

She was practically sitting up on the console, buttons digging into her back a little painfully, but Amy was too preoccupied with finishing the Doctor's shirt buttons to care. The only thing she could really feel right now was his hands climbing up her legs, going all the way up the skirt of her dress, curling his fingers around her tights and knickers and dragging them down. He could feel her shiver and smiled into the kiss, throwing the pieces of clothes somewhere around the TARDIS and out of the way. Amy wrapped her bare legs around his waist and rubbed up against him experimentally. The Doctor groaned, breaking his lips away from hers. Amy smiled at him wickedly, observing the redness of his lips and the dilation of his pupils. She suddenly realized, a little too late, that he really wanted her, not the original Amy. He wanted what was right in front of him, the girl who had picked that red dress to wear and danced and joked with him all night, the one that made a prince fall in love with her and made the Doctor go five kinds of funny. But did she really want him? Or was this the character she was playing?

"You are such a _tease_," the Doctor growled, giving her a glare.

"Don't act like you don't like it," Amy replied playfully.

"I wasn't complaining. Merely pointing out a fact, Pond." And then his mouth was back on hers and the Doctor was lifting Amy up to take her to the bedroom, giving up completely on figuring out how to take off that dress at the moment. But then her hips moved against his again and the feeling of it shot through his body and made his knees buckle, the Time Lord kneeling on the glass floor and almost completely dropping his companion.

Amy was already giggling. "You really know how to ruin the moment, Doctor, don't you?"

"I wouldn't say it was completely ruined!" he protested, "Besides, it was your fault. You have to go a bit easy on me! I'm old, remember?"

"Right, like you're some grandfather-type or something," Amy snorted. She couldn't imagine _her_ grandfather running around a moon base with explosions in the background, escaping the place he'd destroyed after finding out that it was really being run by a man that was being influenced by the Cybermen, taking people who were living there and "upgrading" them. That was just last week.

"Don't let the cool threads fool you," the Doctor smiled. It had nothing to do with his age, all joking aside. Mentally, of course, he was old, but he had the body of a 29 year old man, and though it seemed awkward and all-around asexual, it really didn't like the idea of Amy ever going easy on him. "Now, speaking of threads, how do I remove this dress of yours? Really, I've been trying to figure it out for the past ten minutes."

Amy laughed, sitting straight up and motioning behind her. "You have to unbutton the back, Stupid." The Doctor stuck his tongue out, but quickly undid the buttons on her dress, leaving a hot trail on her skin as his hands worked their way down. He slid off the only sleeve and peppered her shoulder and neck with kisses. Amy tilted her head back, finally letting go of every single thought to push him away, finding it very easy to fall into the position of real Amy, the one who was in love with the Doctor, especially right at this moment. She didn't care that her bare back was now pressed against the cold glass floor of the TARDIS as the Doctor finally got her dress off. She didn't care that she was completely free of clothes now and that the Doctor was quickly on his way to being in the same state, his shoes off and his trousers unbuttoned. She didn't care that she was enjoying the way his cool body pressed against her own hot skin, or the way her stomach flipped when he whispered her name into her ear. Amy had let herself go and she didn't feel like coming back until this was over, this perfect night. Her whole attention was focused on the Doctor, not the mission, not what she might be truly feeling, not the other Amy or Perez or even that buzzing coming from her handbag that meant she had a message, a text message from the only person who had that number other than the man moving over her. No, Amy didn't care about any of that, not right at that moment, anyways.

* * *

><p>She didn't let herself wallow in self-pity at her situation. No, Amy Pond was never like that. Even when she was at her lowest, she managed to stay strong and work through it until her Raggedy Man came back for her. Instead of crying and playing prisoner all day, Amy fought, though not in the way she usually did. She knew she had to get the message to the Doctor. She had to tell him to come and find her. Amy distinctly remembered after that day in Berlin when she'd found out her best friend, Mels, had also been her daughter. They'd just left River behind at a hospital and were already inside the TARDIS, off to bed.<p>

"_How do people even find you?" she'd asked._

_ "Oh, Pond," the Doctor replied, turning around and stopping his ascent up the stairs. He looked back at Amy and Rory with that mysterious smile, "Haven't you figured that one out yet?"_

And she had. Amy felt stupid for even asking after she thought about it. How did River always find him? What did she do to make the Doctor find her in Stonehenge or just outside the Byzantium? She'd left clues all over history. And that's what Amy was going to have to, in hopes that the Doctor would find them and save her before it was too late. The only question was how to get the messages out there. She was locked in a cell all the time. So, she decided to play nice. It took a week or two, but Amy started befriending her two usual guards, guys called Bert and Leonard. They were actually pretty cool guys and made Amy think twice about the Silence and their recruits. One of the soldiers from Demon's Run, a young girl had been nice too. But what were their reasons for joining such a vicious order?

Bert and Leonard never spoke much about _how _they'd gotten their positions, but they did tell her about their homes. Leonard was a blue, scaly reptilian from the planet Euclypta, where the weather was so hot that only his species were the ones to tolerate it. He said the worst thing about this job was how cold it always was, though Amy never had any problems with the temperature of the space ship she was on. Bert was humanoid, from the same planet that Jack Harkness was from, the Boeshane Peninsula. He'd actually heard of Jack, but didn't know him personally, just knowing that he was a pretty handsome boy back then, his nickname being "The Face of Boe."

Amy knew she was on a space ship that had the ability to time travel. She also knew that the Silence were in the 51st century around the time that Melody was 9, a year after their last run-in with the Doctor and Amy, and now they'd realized that they'd made some miscalculations. River was still with them and the Doctor was still alive. He'd escaped Lake Silencio and their project with Melody was going to be an obvious failure. Amy asked what they'd done with the little girl and after much prying, Bert told her that they'd taken her daughter to the "final destination" with Madame Kovarian. Apparently, they were trying to re-write the timeline and were drilling things into her head even faster, making her hate the Doctor even more. It was mainly Madame Kovarian, who knew that if her project really did fail, the Silence would kill her. She'd wasted so much valuable time with Melody Pond. And now they had Madame Perez, who had come up with the new plan. Now Kovarian and Perez were competing, trying to be the one woman that orchestrated the plan leading to the Doctor's demise.

But those women weren't the only ones that had a plan. Amy had one of her own, one that would change all this. She didn't know why they were after the Doctor, what the importance of Trenzalore was, or why he had to be killed before then. Bert and Leonard refused to disclose those details as they said it was absolutely classified. Not that it mattered. Amy had all the details she needed. If she could get him there before they managed to kill him, he could come save her. They could bring down the Silence together and get Melody back.

So, after the first few weeks of good behavior, their prisoner was let out. They weren't following the Doctor or her copy any longer, so no one saw the bother. Where would she escape to? They were raising up armies, their current stop Sparta. Amy would have to forget about the hot Italians for a moment to focus on what she had to do, though. She just had to figure out what to write her message on. It had to be something big, something that history would always want to preserve and remember. If Amy could find something like that, she knew he'd see it. After all, the Doctor always _did _love keeping score.


	14. I Dream of the Most Terrible Things

**Hi, again! I promised I would have this up in two days and look at me being true to my word(: This is another one-chapter adventure, but this _is _when we start heading into the plot. Amy's figured out how to reach the Doctor and she is more than successful, I would say! **

**This chapter title is from "Skeleton Song" by Kate Nash, which sort of reminds me of pieces of this story. :P **

**I own absolutely nothing that you recognize! Remember that! And... Review to get a sneak peek! This time you'll get a much bigger window to do so! Alrighty, guys. Enjoy!(:**

It'd been a busy three weeks for the Doctor and Amy. He'd taken her to wonderful places, like New Year's Eve in New New York in the year of 9999, which was _much _bigger than the party in 1999. He took her to a planet where tiny rock creatures came out of the caves and had crystal hearts in the center of their rocky chests as their lifeline and to the birth of a star, the very sun that looked down on Earth. They visited the Royal family, who seemed to know the Doctor all too well, something that received a raised eyebrow from his companion. Amy was having a great time, but sometimes the Doctor would see a sober look in her eye, like she realized that this wasn't going to be for forever. He hated to think it was because of their conversation at the Exaltan prince's birthday party. Didn't she understand that, yes, he might leave her, but he would come back each and every single time?

"So, Doctor," Amy said, coming into the console room and striding up to the Time Lord, leaning against the railing, "Where to next?" She actually hadn't felt this casual in a while, and wondered how she could possibly feel this way. After that night with the Doctor, Amy woke up amongst crumpled sheets and saw her outfit, shoes, and bag all sitting on the Doctor's desk, folded neatly next to his jungle of wires. She knew he hadn't gone through the purse because when she checked her phone, the message was still unopened. With shaky hands, she'd clicked "OK." It was from Perez. And it was the order that Amy could kill the Doctor now, that the Silence believed the Time Lord to have fully fallen for their trap. If he'd caught on, he would have stopped them by now and been on his way to Trenzalore. And now she had a new problem to deal with. How was she going to kill him?

"Well, I thought we might take a little break from the running and do something a little more educational today!" the Doctor replied, turning to give Amy a smile. He would never stop worrying about his Amelia Pond. He was still doing his best to avoid Trenzalore and the Silence, but the Doctor knew he wouldn't be able to put it off forever. He knew he would have to deal with it soon, but that meant leaving Amy. Because he _wouldn't _take her with him in his final showdown with the Silence, not after Rory's warning.

"'Educational' isn't a very fun word," she pouted, though not caring about where they went and deciding to, yet again, push away her thoughts about Perez's message. She almost always ended up being amazed at the destinations the Doctor took her to, minus that time he took her and Rory to investigate the message on the psychic paper to save a kid from "the monsters." The only two things Amy remembered from that trip were the scary pair of twins that had answered the door while they all looked for the sender of the message, and then becoming a wooden dolly. Like Rory had said, Amy could have found that apartment complex by taking a few buses from her home in Leadworth.

"What do you mean? We learn something new with every adventure!"

"Yeah, _I _do. You've already been everywhere!" Amy argued.

"Not exactly true, Pond. I've been _almost _everywhere," the Doctor countered, "Basically enough to get the gist of every planet, but there are a few that pop out from time to time and surprise the old Doctor."

"Fine. So, we're going to a new planet, yeah?" Sometimes, Amy felt like she was the only having fun on their trips. The Doctor _had _been around the block a few times and he pretty much knew everything. She knew he wanted her around and that seeing her stare in awe at some place was good enough for him, but that couldn't always work, could it? Amy much rather liked the idea of a new planet that would equally amaze them both. Like Sardicktown, for instance, though she'd barely had a chance to hang out there. One minute she was on a crashing star liner, the next she was walking through an old-looking town in the snow while shivering in her police outfit. And then the Doctor was ushering her and Rory back into the TARDIS to take them to their next honeymoon destination.

"Well… Not exactly," the Doctor winced, pulling a blue lever and typing away at the coordinates, "But it's somewhere amazing! I promise!" Amy barely had the chance to roll her eyes before she had to grab a hold of something as the TARDIS began to shake.

When they'd landed, Amy was the first one out the door, looking around her. "This is _not _the kind of amazing I was looking for," she said drily, looking at the large building in front of her. It didn't seem to end. It went on up way too high, so high that Amy didn't doubt it went into outer space. It stretched on the street that the TARDIS had parked on for ages. She didn't even see where it ended or where it began. It just didn't stop. Most of the building was made of a dark wood that was almost absolutely black, but didn't appear to be painted. The whole bottom floor was basically glass, showing any pedestrians passing by what was inside. Other than that, there were just thin windows to let in light. Too much sun might have harmed what was inside. Architecturally, it was amazing, but Amy didn't miss the golden letters over the front entrance. It was a museum, the "Universal Museum of Ychslovatz." It didn't even have a creative name to help Amy attempt to pique her own interest. "Are we really doing this today?"

"Doing what?" he asked innocently, stuffing his hands in his pocket with a clueless face that they both knew she could see through as he began to walk up the stairs, followed closely by Amy.

"Aw, someone's in need of a little ego boost after breaking the TARDIS yesterday, huh?" she teased, fake sympathy filling her tone. The Doctor hadn't been kidding back in Aguamantine about installing cup holders into the console. There was just so little room on that already complicating board and the Doctor ended up breaking and/or removing several pieces, most of which he didn't know the purpose of. Amy had very narrowly saved the blue stabilizers, knowing that they were actually necessary for landing, but she hardly ever paid attention the controls. Whenever she touched them, they made strange noises, as if the TARDIS was telling Amy she better watch it or the whole ship would crash because of her… Again.

The Doctor continued to remain confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Amy."

"Oh, come off it, Doctor," Amy replied knowingly as they reached the door, "We both know the only reason you like museums so much is because it helps you keep score."

"Maybe I'm just actually interested in the exhibits they have here. This whole planet is dedicated to preserving history. It's the biggest museum in the universe, too, this one. It's fifteen times the size of England!" Amy didn't think he was over-exaggerating. "It's actually relatively new right now. It was built in 8 billion and fifty-five, which was five years ago."

As they entered the building, Amy realized the Doctor must not be the only one who liked museums. This place was absolutely busy. There were tour groups moving through each exhibit in an orderly fashion, tourists peering over displays and being tapped by security who told them to keep their distance and to not take any pictures. The place was so huge that it had a large directory map by the entrance that showed exactly where they were. It worked like a computer screen, so you could slide it whichever way, but it only showed you the first floor. You'd have to go to the stairs that led to the next story to see what that one had to offer. This one was the main floor, so it only had some historic pieces from this planet and a gift shop. Seeing as the whole bottom level of the building was made of glass, it was very bright inside. There wasn't a single wall that wasn't made of glass down here, but the floors were wood, the same dark wood that they used on the outside of the museum.

"Wait," Amy said as the Doctor pulled her towards an exhibit. The people who lived on this planet were really tall and green; at least that's how they looked in the diorama. Apparently that's why they had the floor made of glass. They were plant people and fed on sunlight, as did all their pieces of work. It was clear, though, that the Ychslovatzians didn't consider paintings and sculptures as artwork. They thought buildings were ultimate masterpieces and took pride in their architectural advances and talents. "How many floors does this place have anyways?"

"Five hundred and fifty –five," the Doctor answered simply, then turned to give Amy a look, "They have a thing for the number five."

"We're not going to every single floor, are we, Doctor?" Amy did _not _plan on spending all day at this boring museum, nor did she plan on walking up five hundred and fifty-five flights of stairs. From what she'd seen, this place didn't seem to have any lifts.

"Of course not, Pond," he replied easily, "We're just going to see a few of the highlights."

"You mean _your _highlights, don't you? We're looking for places you know you were involved in, aren't we?" That sounded just as bad as going up to see every single floor. The Doctor had spent centuries traveling through space and messing with history, even if he liked to say that was a rule of his that he didn't like breaking. No doubt he had some influence over _every _exhibit.

"I was thinking we could go see the ancient war rooms," he said, turning away from a model scale of the first hut ever made. The excited look he gave Amy was too adorably child-like to even turn down. It was like the Doctor was a little boy and someone had just told him he was going to Disneyland or something.

Amy sighed and rolled her eyes, pretending to be a little more unwilling than she actually was. "Fine," she nodded, "We can go to the war rooms. But I get to pick the next stop and food _does not _count!"

The Doctor grinned and gave Amy a thumbs up, taking her hand and leading her to the next level. It was just like a large department store, signs everywhere with arrows pointing to different sections like "Ychslovatz – Agriculture" or "Ychslovatz – Science." The next floor was supposed to be all about civilizations known for their culinary technologies, the food court also located somewhere, but the Doctor told Amy that they'd stop there on the way out and that he was much too excited to stop.

"What level is the ancient war civilization exhibit, anyways?" Amy asked, being led over to a station that was just a bit crowded. They were silver metal doors that people were walking into and she prayed that they were elevators because she _really _didn't plan on walking all the way up to whatever level he wanted to go to. Knowing their luck, it'd be right at the top.

"It's only half way up, I think," the Doctor answered, shrugging. That meant that he didn't know. He looked over and saw Amy's raised eyebrow, to which he smiled daftly at. "Oh, come on, Pond! Finding it is half the adventure!"

"So, this museum isn't as boring as I thought," she relented, remembering a woman passing by her and saying there was some amazing chocolate fondue on the second level somewhere, "I still don't want to spend all day here!" Unless it included her and that fondue. Amy wondered if there was an exhibit on Scotland somewhere, but mentally snorted. She loved her country, but she highly doubted it'd get its own exhibit, even if it was one that apparently covered the whole universe.

"Fine, fine, fine! Spoil all the fun!" he cried as they reached the silver doors, "I guess we'll have to do this the _easy _way."

"You know, if it helps," Amy said sweetly, "I still love you."

She could see a smile twitch on his face, but the Doctor maintained his frown. "I love you too, I suppose," he grumbled, walking into the small box. The doors closed and the Doctor pressed his finger to wake up the digital pad by the entrance.

Amy watched him scroll through the different floors, looking for the ancient war civilizations through the menu. She wondered, not for the first time, if she ever meant it when she said she loved him. This wasn't the first time. Of course she'd said it plenty of other times to him. Amy was supposed to, it was part of her job. She was supposed to stay in character. But Amy _wasn't _supposed to _become _her character. But wasn't that what she was in the first place? She was Amy Pond, had all the same memories and thoughts and, maybe even possibly, feelings. Amy just didn't know what was hers and what was the real Amy's anymore. Was it _her _that loved the Doctor or was it her original? She told herself that it was the latter, because she wouldn't be able to handle it if it were her own feelings. Still, Amy didn't feel solid with that option, so she held back. Perez told her to kill the Doctor and Amy knew that she had to. It was in everyone's best interest, everyone in the whole universe. But couldn't she wait a while, just until she figured out what all this meant for her? Amy just needed a bit more time and it wasn't like the Doctor was thinking about Trenzalore. In fact, he hardly ever mentioned it. Amy wondered if he knew anything about it. As long as she kept him away, though, she could still carry out her mission. She just had to keep him away until she was able to figure out what was her and what was the other Amy.

"Oh, 537th floor," the Doctor said sheepishly, knowing that that was way more than half way up, "Close enough."

Amy snorted, deciding not to full out tease him, not that he had the time to. As soon as he pressed his index finger on the button that accepted the 537th floor as their destination, Amy heard a strange machine and was surrounded by light blue. Before she was even able to blink, she was back in the box, the lights gone and the door open to a room that wasn't the one they had come from to get into the lift. She looked at the Doctor curiously who gave her a smug smile, one that he liked to use when he knew he'd caught Amy off guard. "Teleport systems," he said, pointing to the roof of the box before exiting, four new people passing through to go back to the lobby, "Much faster when you have to travel up 535 floors."

"Can we get teleport systems in the TARDIS?" Amy asked, loving the idea of that feature, "I _still _get lost in there, you know."

"Ooh," the Doctor grinned, rubbing his hands together, "Great idea, Pond! I'll get on that. You know… As soon I fix the old girl up after my last adjustments." Remembering his last attempt at adding a feature, Amy almost wanted to tell him to forget about the teleport systems and just do something simple, like taping signs to the walls to point someone back to the console room. She didn't have a chance to try and change his mind, because the Doctor was already running up to a glass case in the Sontaran section. Amy followed slowly, too busy looking around at her surroundings. This was a different type of level than the first one. All the walls were a pure white, which was such a contrast from the dark floors, the same dark wood, though not covered in thick glass like in the lobby. There were a few windows, but they were high up by the ceiling so Amy couldn't get a look of how high up they were. That was probably a good thing, though. She had an issue with heights. Most of the light on this level was from the single white bulbs that hung from the ceilings, glass shades over them that contorted the way the light hit everything else.

She watched the Doctor move from each case, peering at each display. "Oh, see this one is right!" he cried happily, then moved to the next one, "Oh, not that one. That one is _definitely _wrong." Amy followed, letting the Doctor tell her about each adventure and how it _really _happened. She pretended that she was bored the whole time, but, really, Amy was quite interested. She'd always wanted the Doctor to talk about his past, what happened before her, and here he was doing just that. He even mentioned a girl, a woman called Martha. She vaguely remembered Jack mentioning her, but couldn't remember what he'd said before the Doctor had interrupted him. It went on like this, the Time Lord's companion nodding and feigning disinterest as he moved from each case. It wasn't until they reached a helmet that the Doctor stopped in his tracks.

"Doctor?" Amy asked, worried, as he stared intensely down into the glass case with the helmet. She poked her face next to his. "What is it? What's so interesting about th- Oh." _Oh, no. _There was an engraving in the metal. It was a message, a message that said _Doctor – 211212_. Amy knew what those numbers meant, but she couldn't say anything. She didn't _want _to say anything. It would ruin everything. This was _exactly _what she was trying to prevent and not just because Amy was supposed to kill him. "Doctor, maybe we should go down to the food court. I'm _starv_-"

Amy didn't have a chance to finish, because the Doctor was already off now, to the next exhibit, the Ancient Romans. This used to be her favorite subject in school when she was growing up, but Amy was way more interested in the man that was racing from each glass box to the next, taking maybe 3 seconds for each artifact. At first, she thought he had let it go, but now it was clear what the Doctor was doing. He was looking for the numbers. "Doctor, please-"

"I need to find out what those numbers mean, Amelia," the Doctor said, "I need to know who is sending these messages and how they're getting around. How do they go from the Ancient Maya to Aguamantine to the Sontarans? And why do they want me to remember these numbers?"

"Maybe it's just River," Amy shrugged, trying to make this a smaller deal than what the Doctor was making it, than what it really was. "Maybe she's just trying to tell you to come pick her up."

"No," the Doctor said, shaking his head as he moved to a diorama of three hundred Spartan soldiers going up against a giant crowd that was supposed to be the Persian army. The Time Lord briefly thought about how stubborn King Leonitus was. He'd _told _the king that it was a ridiculous idea to go to war with only three hundred men. But the Doctor had never been blessed with a face people listened to. "This isn't like River. She always has that 'Hello, Sweetie' thing. Besides, her firsts are my lasts and the last time we saw her was the first time she ever jumped off the side of some cliff and into the TARDIS."

"Yeah, but that can't all be true," she reasoned, trying to find a way to distract him, "What about the first time you two met?"

He moved to the next display. Sparta was the city of war in Ancient Rome, so it had a bit bigger of a section to look for. The Doctor never told Amy or Rory what would happen to their daughter, what he knew would happen. He didn't tell them that River was going to sacrifice herself to save him and everyone else who was trapped inside the Library's computer, including his companion at the time, Donna Noble. It wasn't like the Doctor had purposefully kept it from her. It had just never come up, but now it would seem as though he was hiding it all along. "That doesn't matter, Amy. It's not her," he answered curtly, coming up to a glass case and seeing just what he had been looking for. He tapped his finger on the glass.

"You found another one?" Amy asked incredulously. How was this happening? How were these messages showing up? She had an idea of who was sending them. But how was _she _able to pass along these messages? Was the Silence just letting one of their most important prisoners run around? Amy felt like she should talk to Perez about this, but if she did, the woman would probably ask why the Doctor wasn't dead yet. Now that they weren't following the pair, they didn't know how long it had been for Amy.

"_Doctor, I'm waiting. 211212_," the Doctor read out loud. Yes, she _knew _it had to be her. Hadn't Amy written that same message once in bright red lipstick on a metal door? Minus the code of course. Would the Doctor see it? Would he finally piece together what this all meant? Amy's breathing quickened as she studied the Time Lord. If he worked it out, she wouldn't be able to put it off any longer. It didn't matter if Amy's feelings were put together and figured out. She _had _to kill him if he knew.

No one said anything for a moment, the Doctor trying to figure out what this all meant and Amy praying that he wouldn't. It wasn't that long, but the silence seemed to stretch and turn to hours, becoming almost completely unbearable for Amy. She had to say something. She was _never _good with being quiet. "Well?" Amy asked, "Do you know what it means?"

"I think I do," he answered, his voice soft. The numbers weren't just any numbers. That was obvious. The way that they were put into the messages, though, like this one… It was like the person leaving them was saying that they were waiting _at _211212. Was that some sort of moon base? The Doctor ran through a list in his head, but he couldn't remember any that had that long of numbers. A lot of them didn't have more than five digits, besides that didn't leave him with a time. If it was some sort of year or referencing the 21st of December, 2012, the Doctor still didn't have any sort of location. So what else could it be? The Doctor wracked his brain for every single possibility, knowing that the answer was so obvious, staring him right in the face. And then he knew. Of course he knew. He smacked himself in the head for not thinking of it sooner. "They're coordinates."

* * *

><p>Despite her making friends with Bert and Leonard, Amy was still a prisoner and she was still absolutely miserable. They'd gone recruiting from all over the universe, getting the best soldiers to build the best army. And Amy had done her job, too. When they let her out to take walks, one of her guards was always monitoring her and she was only let out once a day. They usually spent two weeks at each location, taking from species like the Sycorax, Sontarans, Humans, and the Judoon. If an army had any sort of good reputation, the Silence visited.<p>

They didn't just kidnap, either, or "recruit" as they liked to call it. As Amy walked around to stretch her legs, she'd see soldiers training as well. The Silence weren't just creating a mass army and hoping to destroy with numbers. They were making every man, woman, or creature, trained to be a perfect killer, one that couldn't be defeated. But Amy wasn't scared for her Doctor. Because he'd beaten them all, hadn't he? It's why the home planets were so cooperative. They were all in some sort of an alliance, bonding over their hatred and fear for the only man that had ever been able to stop them all. And Amy had faith that he would do it again.

That faith was the only thing she could really hold onto. She had faith that the Doctor would come save her, that he would see her messages, beat the bad aliens, save the universe, and make it out okay. She'd been told to give it up a very long time ago, that belief in her Raggedy Man, but it would never leave her, not really. She just had to hold on longer. So, on one of her walks, Amy would find something of interest and sneak it back to her cell, write the message, and then chuck it off somewhere the next time they let her out. Neither Bert nor Leonard suspected anything, thinking she was just taking souvenirs along with her. Besides, what was the harm if she just threw it out the day after? It wasn't hard to see that she was a strange girl and rumor had it that she'd grown up with a crack in time over her head as she slept. That was enough to make anyone a little odd.

Amy tried to find things that were big and important, like the helmet of the lead Sontaran General who "mysteriously" disappeared. Really, he'd been taken in and brainwashed by the Silence, but the religious order didn't think the natives would very much like it if they found out they'd enslaved the race's number one hero at that point in history.

And she'd also have to make it through the dreams. They all had the Doctor in it in some way or another. It would be of her dancing with him at a ball to their song, staring up at fireworks with his long, clumsy fingers in hers at some big celebration, running and laughing and being absolutely happy together. But Amy knew what they really were. She knew that these were adventures that her Ganger was having with him, that the two seemed to share a connection. There were always hints of worry and doubt in these dreams, ones that Amy normally wouldn't have. It was like she was questioning something. Then, _those _dreams started happening and Amy didn't know what to think. She dreamt of the Doctor's cool bare skin brushing over hers, his fingers making trails down her naked body. She dreamt of his hot, labored breath in her ear and gasps in the form of her name escaping him.

The first time, Amy told herself that it was just _her _dreaming that, but then it happened again and again and again and again… And Amy couldn't help but notice that that feeling was there, that one that was always in the Ganger dreams. It was even stronger in these ones, her feelings all jumbled and trying to make sense, guilt and confusion and happiness all mixing into one. They were always present, always in the background. She tried not to cry, mainly because Amy hated people seeing her emotional like that and _someone _was always right outside her door, but sometimes she couldn't stop herself. Sometimes, like her most recent dream where things had taken a very suddenly sexual turn after some playful splashing in the TARDIS' pool, she just woke up sobbing. And once Amy started, she couldn't stop until her tear ducts were dry.

But Amy Pond also became more determined that she'd ever been. She knew what this copy of hers was going to do, that she was going to kill him, and Amy swore that she wasn't going to let that girl finish her mission. She couldn't escape to do this without the Silence in her way, though, not when she'd already left the Doctor those messages telling him where to find her. Because she knew where the final destination was for her. Amy knew where the army was going to wait, where they were going to greet the TARDIS with either congratulations for the girl that had finally struck the Time Lord dead or raised weapons if she failed. Either way, Amy was kicking her copy's backside, whether she managed to kill him or not. Oh, the Silence and Ganger Amy had it coming. Amy just had to keep on with the messages until they got to their final destination: Trenzalore.


	15. Fear Is the Heart of Love

**Hi, guys! I got this done a bit earlier since I went on some summer field trip to California. Took a 19-hour train ride down to Santa Cruz for this yearbook camp. So, I totally had time to write(: I was going to post this a little earlier as well, but the only wifi I got on that train was when it was stopped and I was stealing from a first class cart. xD And the wifi at the camp sucked as well, so you obviously know I was dying. But whatever. I totally won second place for my designs and presentation and everything for my yearbook. At least all the stuff I've worked on in the past few days. Boom shaka laka! I suppose you don't really care about my personal life, haha, so I'll continue on to the info about the story.**

**The title is from "Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie. Lovely song and I think this sort of goes with the Doctor's dedication to save Amy as he searches for answers. **

**Usual rundown. I own nothing. Review to get a sneak peek. Thanks!(: And enjoy!**

Amy didn't like the Ood, or at least her experience with them. She tried to stay open-minded, though. The Doctor always had such good things to say about the weird looking aliens and, in fairness, she was only going off _one _time when she and Rory were trapped in the TARDIS somewhere outside the universe. Still, she didn't see why the Doctor was bringing them _here_. "Because, Amy," he explained, "Those numbers aren't just any ordinary numbers. They're coordinates."

She had to play dumb. And, also, Amy didn't know how much he knew. "Coordinates? To where?" she asked innocently. She really hoped he hadn't figured it out yet, that he wouldn't try to go. The Doctor didn't answer her for a few minutes, moving around the console to get ready to leave, and Amy grew impatient with her question remaining unanswered. She stopped in front of him, blocking the Time Lord from some of the controls. "Doctor!"

The Doctor tried to move away from her, and when Amy grabbed onto his hand to stop him, she was shocked to see him finally looking into her eyes with a glare, a glare that told Amy she was asking the wrong question. He saw her shock, though, and his gaze softened. The Doctor turned around, leaning against the console beside her. "Just…" he trailed off, his hands rubbing at his face, "Somewhere, Amelia. Somewhere I don't want either of us to go. That's why we're going to see my old friend, Ood Sigma. I can't chance it if this is what I think it is." He didn't want to go much into it. The Doctor didn't want to tell Amy that he thought it was Trenzalore, the place where the Eleventh was to fall, according to legend, and where _Amy _would fall, according to Rory Williams.

"Yeah, but-" she began.

"Amy, please," the Doctor sighed, squeezing his eyes in concentration before opening them quickly and turning to grab her face in between his hands, saying quietly, "Just drop it. I can't tell you anything more, alright? You're just going to have to trust me."

She could feel her head nodding while questions whirled around her brain. Was the Doctor talking about Trenzalore? If he did, that meant he _knew _what was going to happen there. He knew the question was going to be asked, the question that must never be answered, because it would bring down the whole universe. And that made her feel a little better about killing him. Amy knew she was going to have to sometime, but she was also a bit afraid of the moment when it happened. She didn't want the Doctor to be angry with her for betraying him. She wanted him to understand that she still thought he was a good man, her best friend, and that if they really had the option, Amy _wouldn't _kill him. But he was a dangerous man with dangerous knowledge. What she wanted was to be forgiven for killing the Doctor by the only person whose forgiveness even mattered. "Fine," she murmured, pecking him on the lips lightly before pulling away. Amy changed her whole demeanor back to something more relaxed. She crossed her arm and gave a small smile. "So, let's get going, Raggedy Man. You know me. I always love a new planet!"

The Doctor smiled back, glad Amy had so easily changed the subject. He loved it when she didn't press things, though that happened so rarely. The only thing she was ever really careful around was his past. Lately, she was pursuing that topic more and more, but the Doctor knew why. He knew it was unfair that he knew everything about her and she still knew so little about him. But she didn't see that she knew all the important things already, the only things that really mattered. Everything else was just sort of… Heavy matter that brought down conversations. He quickly finished navigating around the console before ending back up at his typewriter, where he punched in the coordinates to the Horsehead Nebula.

When they landed, the Doctor immediately went to the door. He didn't want to waste any time. If this was Trenzalore, the Doctor was going to have to leave Amy, something that he didn't want to do and something the redhead wouldn't be very happy with. Either way, someone was asking for his help, someone that was traveling through time and going through a lot of trouble to make sure he saw their messages. Going to the Ood was his last resort. The Doctor wasn't going to just type in the coordinates and see where it took him, not if it meant that Amy was in danger. And he _could have _taken one of the marked artifacts and scanned it like he had with that home box from the crashed Byzantium to find River, but that just happened to be one of the features that weren't working due to his installation of those cup holders. He was _really _starting to regret those, despite how much easier it was to have tea in the console room.

So, here he was at the Ood Sphere, knowing that the Oodkind were telepathic and saw everything. They'd known when he was going to die, and considering the "fall of the Eleventh" bit, the Doctor assumed they knew what was going to happen this time, too. He just wanted to know what going to Trenzalore meant, if he _had _to die, if there was a way to save Amy. Time was always being rewritten, but some things couldn't, and the Doctor couldn't bear the thought of his companion's death being some sort of fixed point that he couldn't find a way out of.

"Come along, Pond," he cried, motioning with his hand and walking out the doors. It was 4426, two hundred years after his last regeneration showed up and was told that the Master was back. The place was still icy, snow falling heavily down from the skies and rocky, snow-capped cliffs off in the distance. The Doctor rubbed his hands together to get heat from the friction, but continued on.

Amy stared from the doorway, finding the scenery absolutely gorgeous, but the climate was freezing in her current clothes. She had the usual ensemble: tights, tank top, leather jacket, boots, and her mini skirt. "Doctor!" she called, "It's freezing and I'm in a skirt!"

"And whose fault is that, exactly?" the Doctor asked, giving her a smug smile. He was only a few meters away and chuckled lightly when Amy just glared back. "Get something from the coat closet and be quick about it, will you? We have business to attend to."

"Mysterious business that I don't know about," Amy mumbled to herself, turning back and fetching a long, blue coat, one she distinctly remembered wearing when she'd met van Gogh, and threw it on, though it still didn't really cover anything past her knees. It would have to do and Amy ran out of the TARDIS, not wanting to get left behind and lost in this Winter Wonderland.

"About time," the Doctor grinned, holding his hand out to the redhead as she jogged up next to him, "You set to go, Pond? Or do you need to go back and fix your hair?"

"You tell me," Amy replied playfully, sticking her tongue out and lacing her fingers with his. It didn't really provide as much warmth for her, seeing as his body was always cooler than hers. Still, the air here was much colder.

He looked her over as they began walking, watching snowflakes sprinkle all over her red hair and melt on her pale skin. She was beautiful, whether she was in a bikini on Space Florida or bundled up in the snow on the Ood Sphere. The Doctor was reminded that he swore not only to himself, but also to Rory, that he would protect his mad, impossibly, absolutely gorgeous Amy Pond. "I've seen worse," he joked, getting a sharp jab from his companion's elbow, "Ow!"

"You deserved it and you know it," Amy shot back. The two burst out giggling, both wondering how they could even laugh at a time like this. The Doctor was trying to figure out how to keep Amy alive and Amy was trying to figure out if it was time for the Doctor to die.

They made it to a long bridge-like piece of rock that led to the tall cliffs Amy could see reaching towards the cloudy sky. Amy didn't doubt that her face and exposed calves were probably frozen and she wondered how the Doctor was looking completely normal in his usual ensemble. She almost asked if they were made with some sort of space fabric that maintained your body heat, but Amy held her tongue, knowing that "space fabric" sounded ridiculous and would be mocked just like her "Time Head" question had been when she'd wondered about traveling on the TARDIS, pregnant with Melody. Instead, she asked why the place seemed to be deserted and the Doctor explained that the Ood cities were mainly in the cliffs and caves of the planet. They were walking on top of some beautiful underground city.

With that in mind, it surprised them both when a figure suddenly walked up to them as they reached the bridge. Amy gasped in surprise. She had flashbacks of Nephew's squid-like face popping up out of the darkness, closing in on her and Rory. It was the Doctor's hand squeezing hers in reassurance that brought her back. "Don't worry, Amy," he murmured into her ear as they continued walking over to the alien, who seemed as though he was waiting for them, "I think I know who this is. He's an old friend of mine and I think you'll like him."

"Hello, Doctor," the Ood said, and the Time Lord knew it was his old friend, Ood Sigma, "We knew you would be coming. It is nice to meet you as well, Miss Pond."

Amy looked at him a little unsurely. "Yeah, nice to meet you, too… How do you know my name?" He looked different than Nephew did, whose eyes were a glowing green. This Ood seemed to have white eyes, which looked much less threatening or strange. He still had that sphere in his hand that was connected to his mouth somehow, which lit up every time he spoke. She decided to give him a try and offered the alien a small smile.

"The song, Miss Pond," he answered, "We can hear the song of the universe. That is how we learned of you and the Doctor's approaching arrival." One hand held up the orb, the other neatly at his side. He gave the Doctor a small bow before addressing him next. "We've been waiting for you, Doctor."

"You're not the only ones," the Time Lord replied, thinking about the messages in the museum. But he would get to that later, once he'd distracted Amy and could talk in private with Sigma and the Ood Elder. "It's nice to see you again, Sigma. It's been a while, hasn't it?" he asked, "Last time I saw you, you were singing me to my death."

"And as I said, Doctor," Sigma agreed, "Your story continues. Follow me inside. Your companion does look rather cold. You'll have to forgive us, Miss Pond. The Ood are more resistant to cold weather than the humans.

"No, it's fine," Amy shrugged, trying to keep her teeth from chattering, "You can call me 'Amy,' if you want."

"I'll keep that in mind, Miss Pond," he replied curtly. Amy looked towards the Doctor as the alien in front of them continued leading them. She wondered if she'd done anything wrong or said something offensive, but the look she go back from the Doctor said that he didn't seem to notice what Amy had done either.

"Don't worry," he whispered, "He never really did have a good sense of humor. He didn't think it was at all funny when I told him I'd gotten married to Elizab-" The Doctor stopped short, turning to look at Amy who was suddenly glaring at him.

"Well, now I know why you're so bloody popular every time we go and see a British monarch," she growled, maybe just a tiny bit jealous. It wasn't like Amy _wanted _to get married to him. Of course not. Even the original Amy never really brought it up or thought about it. They both liked to use the excuse that they just weren't the marrying type, even to themselves. Rory was just a one-time deal. He'd done so much for her after all, waited two thousand years for her and risked his life for her more than once and, at one point, Amy believed marrying Rory was what she was _supposed _to do. But the Doctor had Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth I, and even Marilyn Monroe under his belt. Women like that were hard to compete with, even if Amy realized that she wasn't competing at all.

He didn't say much more on the matter, just clearing his throat and looking quickly away before striking up conversation with Sigma. Amy looked around her as they started to make their way into the caves. It was dark at first, but there were stone doors that opened revealing a beautiful building inside that didn't look much like a cave at all. She looked over at the Doctor, who was also looking around in amazement.

"_Love _what you've done with the place," he grinned. The Ood had obviously made some big advances, though that wasn't very surprising. The last time he was there, the Doctor saw how much had changed on the Ood Sphere in one hundred years since his first visit with Donna, and now they'd had twice that amount of time. These were no longer simple caves with living creatures walking around inside. These were actual homes, and nice ones at that. The cave floor was still rock, but it looked clean and smooth. The path they were currently on led down a set of steps, deeper into the cave that led to a shining, bustling city. It almost reminded Amy of the Silurians that lived under Cwmtaff, except none of its inhabitants were hibernating.

"Thank you, Doctor," Sigma said, his tone friendly, "We have worked long and hard to finish building our homes since you were last here, though there is still much to do. I take it you would like to see the Elder Ood, correct?"

"Ah, yes," he nodded, hands going behind his back as his friend led him down the steps, "How is the old boy?"

"He's been anticipating your return and is most pleased that you have arrived, along with me and the rest of the council. We've known for a while that you would return, Doctor. We know the information you seek, but I cannot promise that all your questions will be answered."

"Yes, well, I just want to be sure of something, actually," the Doctor explained, then looked nervously at Amy, who seemed to be distracted by her surroundings. He knew she was probably paying close attention, though, and he was correct. His Amy Pond was always so curious, even if she liked to hide it from the Doctor. He could always see it, that passion in her eyes to learn and know more, to see everything the universe had to offer her. He knew she would never admit it, but the Doctor, in general, made Amy curious. It was one of the reasons she'd taken an instant liking to him as a little girl, wasn't it? A man from space dropping from the sky and eating fish fingers and custard? "But we can discuss that later, I think," he added, still trying to keep the information from Amy.

"Of course, Doctor." Ood Sigma clearly understood this wasn't a conversation that the Time Lord wanted to discuss in front of his companion. He felt the same way. "Let us continue, shall we?" The rest of the trip was silence. Amy and the Doctor looked around curiously as Sigma led them down winding paths through carved rock buildings. There was a large thin building that seemed to be their destination. They walked into the open door to see that it was really a long tower, leading all the way up past the surface. This was one of the cliffs they'd seen from the TARDIS.

Sigma stopped at a door. The Doctor looked at it with uncertainty. The Ood knew he was going to be there. How? The only reason they'd been able to see his future before was because time and space was ending, all due to the Master. But he'd fixed that. Wouldn't that have stopped the link? And then, he had to think about what answers were going to lie ahead in that room. What if he _couldn't _save Amy? Rory had said the Doctor would always do his best to protect his wife, but his tendency of showing up late would cost them, did he not? He saidthe Doctor wasn't going to make it in time to save their Amelia Pond. What if he was right? What if time _couldn't _be rewritten?

"So, this is it, then?" he asked, pointing towards the door, "Do I need a password to get in? A secret knock?"

"That is not necessary," Sigma replied, his tone still pleasant, "The council already knows you are here, Doctor. They could sense you right as the TARDIS landed."

"Then we just go in, yeah?" Amy shrugged. She was eager to get inside, to know what the Doctor had to say and what the Ood council knew. She wanted to see if the Doctor was starting to catch onto the Silence's plan. If he was, she had a plan of her own she needed to execute. Amy still had that vial of (insert tree name here) hidden in one of the books in the library. When she had first arrived and traded places with the real Amy Pond, it was where she had spent a lot of time. The Doctor was busy tinkering with the TARDIS and didn't really take care to notice that she was hollowing out a self-help book for people dealing with trauma after their planet exploded. Amy didn't think it was the type of book he might read, but she _had _caught him reading a book on knitting once. In any case, the poison was still there and could so easily be slipped into his morning tea.

"Actually, Miss Pond," Sigma said, "The council wishes to have a private conversation with the Doctor only. You will not be allowed in."

Amy's mouth dropped slightly and the Doctor thanked his lucky stars. He didn't want Amy in there either, but knew it would have caused a lot of trouble for him if _he'd _said anything. "It's alright," he told her consolingly, "I'll be right back, I promise."

"And what I am supposed to do while I'm out here?" she pouted, clearly not liking being left out. This was _not _going according to plan.

"It's not going to take that long. I just have a few questions to ask and then we can be on our merry way and go hit some of the sights. The Horsehead Nebula has some _really _cool planets I want you to see. There's one that eve-"

"Doctor," Sigma broke in politely, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I'm afraid the council does not have the same patience as I do."

The Doctor nodded. "Right, of course. Are you going in, Sigma?"

"No, Doctor. They do not wish to see me. It is only you."

He nodded again, straightening his bow tie and flashing Amy a wide grin and a thumbs up. He was nervous but excited to finally have the answers. The Doctor never liked being a step behind his enemies, which seemed to be happening a lot lately with the Silence. But they didn't have a grip on him now, did they? The last time he'd seen any part of the religious order was in a Mayan village, but even then it was only their human workers that he saw. So where had the leaders been? What were they up to? And why were they raising that army? The Doctor opened the door slowly, walking in and seeing a circle of Oodkind joined hand in hand. Their eyes were closed and not one of them was making a sound. Well, at least not out loud. But the Doctor could hear what they were doing telepathically. They were singing.

At first, it sounded happy, but slow, and the Time Lord knew that this was _their _song, the song of how the Ood were finally back at complete peace, rebuilding their cities and becoming a strong race once again, no longer used as cattle or servants. When he neared them, though, all of them opened their eyes except for Ood Elder, who was directly facing the Doctor. They looked up, and upon seeing him, the song segued into something very different. It was more serious, building up in speed as if something dark was approaching. And then everything stopped. It was completely silent. It stretched out for what the Doctor thought took forever, but he didn't dare say a word. He knew that they were not finished. He found out moments later that he was right, because then their singing picked back up, except it was no longer panicked and intense. It was sad, absolutely sad. He didn't know what it meant, but the Doctor's hearts were already breaking and he couldn't bear to listen to it a second longer. "Stop," he murmured, swallowing down a lump in his throat he didn't know was there, "Stop this, please."

"Do you not like the song, Doctor?" Ood Elder asked, finally opening his eyes. He tilted his head thoughtfully, looking directly at the Time Lord. "It is yours, you know. This is your song of Trenzalore."

"How? How can you hear the songs of the universe again? I saved time, remember?"

"For a brief moment centuries ago, we were able to see the past, the present, and the future. We could sing of the beginning and end of the universe and we could sing of the moment that silence fell over the whole universe. We saw all, Doctor, and we remember these songs well."

"So, you knew about Trenzalore the last time I was here?" The Doctor didn't find this surprising. Actually, he'd hoped for this. That was why he'd come to visit anyways. He wanted to see if they could remember anything about Trenzalore from when they could hear the song of the universe. The Doctor had already planned his next trip in case they couldn't tell him anything, but he knew that the Ood probably had more information gathered on the place than his next source. This was just the first trip of many in possibly preparing for his journey to Trenzalore.

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me? Why?"

"You know why we did not tell you," the Elder answered, and the Time Lord knew he was right. Hadn't he told it to many before that had tried to find out their future? "Fore knowledge is a dangerous thing, Doctor. It is the same reason you have not told her." Before he could even try and play stupid, Ood Elder was already continuing. "You didn't tell Amelia Pond that her song is coming to an end."

The Doctor eyes widened. He didn't like it being phrased like that. He didn't like thinking of anything of Amy coming to an end. And he could remember when it was him that the Ood were saying this to. They'd told him that his song was ending and it had. They'd sang him through his next regeneration. They'd told the Doctor that he was going to die and he had. He hardly ever put much faith in fairy tales and prophecies, but the alien already enough experience to believe that the Ood were quite reliable when it came to predicting the future.

"So you could hear it, then?" he said in a low voice. The Doctor knew Amy probably wouldn't be able to hear the conversation but he didn't seem to care enough at the moment. "This is why I'm here, actually, Ood Elder. There's someone that's been calling out to me, someone that's been all over time and space. They say that I've got to save them and I think they've given me coordinates."

"You want us to tell you what happens at Trenzalore," Ood Elder finished, which sounded more like a statement than a question. Of course he knew. "You want to know if there is a way to save your Amelia Pond."

"I can't risk losing her," the Doctor explained, his tone filled with sadness that only came with being centuries old, watching your friends come and go, live and die for you. But Amy was different, and she always had been. She was the one girl that he hadn't completely screwed up, changed for the worse or killed. They'd hit rough patches before, but Amy was the only one whose life hadn't changed for the worst because of the Doctor. And he wanted it to stay that way. "This is different with her. Things got farther than I usually let them, which is my own fault, but I couldn't help it. And now she's possibly in danger. I know now, Ood Elder, that time can be rewritten. I can save Amy. Time says she'll die, but I can change that, can't I?" His voice had changed from soft and sad to frustrated and confused, so obviously clinging onto whatever hope he had, though it was very little. But the Doctor was always the optimist.

The Ood Elder didn't say anything for a moment, closing his eyes. His grip on his surrounding council members tightened and they all stayed deathly quiet for a moment. And then it began. The Doctor didn't need them to open their eyes and tell him what it was. It was Amy's song. It was whimsical and childish, yet sad and so lonely at the same time. It started to grow stronger, though, as it continued on and soon it was loud and fiery and in your face just like his companion was known to be. And then it came to an abrupt stop and the Doctor got the same feeling that he'd had in their previous song, where it was silent, but not completely over. It was only after a minute or so that the Doctor really knew the song was over, because the council had all opened their eyes, which were a glowing red.

This sight would have scared anyone else, but the Doctor knew that they were just using up more psychic energy than they were used to, contacting the Brain. When the Ood Elder next spoke, his tone was more clipped and robotic than before, maybe even a bit deeper.

"_On the fields of Trenzalore,_

_ At the fall of the Eleventh,_

_ When no creature can speak falsely or fail to give answer;_

_ A question will be asked,_

_ A question that must never, ever be answered._

_ It is the first question, the oldest question in the universe,_

_ Hidden in plain sight._

_ Silence will fall when this question is answered._

_ But be careful who to trust _

_ Because even in the valleys of truths, _

_ Secrets will hide,_

_ And not all will be as it seems_.

_ Only when the answer is spoken,_

_ Will the battle be won._

_ But he will lose what matters most,_

_ The girl who dreamed of stars._

_ And so ends the war_

_ On the fields of Trenzalore._"

The Doctor didn't know what to say. He'd listened carefully enough, remembering the first few bits from what Dorium had told him after he'd returned him to the crypt. The rest, though, was new. He tried to make sense of it, knowing that the silence was _his _silence. _He _was going to die. And the Doctor knew that the reason was perfectly understandable. He had a dangerous secret, and apparently a dangerous future. Despite his attempts to be a savior to universe, the Doctor was renowned and feared by more than just one planet or species.

When the Elder Ood blinked, his eyes were back to normal, as were the rest of the council who now had their eyes opened, staring curiously at the Time Lord before them. They were trying to gauge his reaction. The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The Ood continued to look at him in silence before he was able to muster up some words. "I-I don't understand," he said finally, "I didn't ask about what will happen at Trenzalore. I asked if I could save A-"

"No," Ood Elder interrupted. The way he said it was firm, completely confident that his words were true. And the Doctor couldn't argue with them. "It is too late, Doctor. You cannot save her from Trenzalore. Even now, even when you think she is safe, she is not."

"But time can be rewritten!" the Doctor protested, not wanting to believe the Ood's words. He knew that they had to be true, which made it worse. He refused to believe it. "She is _not _a fixed point! I can still rescue her! I can still save Amy Pond!"

"You cannot be so certain of that, Doctor. Why else would you have come to us? It is almost time. Those are the coordinates, the numbers written all throughout the universe. You are about to reach Trenzalore and soon you will see."

"Why can't you just _tell _me?!" he cried, remembering how Rory wouldn't tell him the answers either. Why did Amy have to be so difficult, even when she was dead? Not that she would be, of course. Because the Doctor was going to save her like he always did. No one was making it easier with all their secrets, though. They were just creating obstacles, and that was never something you wanted to do when those obstacles got in the way of the Doctor and his Amy Pond. "I have saved and died for your people before! The least you could do is help me save my friend!"

"We cannot save her either, Doctor," the Ood replied emotionlessly, "Your Amy Pond is already in trouble. She will die soon, b-"

"No, no, no… No!" the Time Lord shouted, unable to hold back any of his anger. He couldn't listen to it. He couldn't sit there and listen to someone talk about one of the only living things that mattered to him dying, telling him he couldn't save her. The Doctor turned around, not caring to hear what they had to say anymore. He had that rhyme in his head and he would decipher it. He still had other sources to go to that had hopefully gathered information on the subject.

"Come along, Pond," he announced upon exiting the room, not even stopping his angry stride as he passed her, "We've got another field trip to make."

"Where?" she asked, quickly following him. Amy had been worried the whole time he'd been inside. Ood Sigma hadn't really been much of a talker, at least not with her, and Amy couldn't help but wonder again what the hell she'd done to the guy. He was much nicer and warmer to the Doctor, instantly becoming a little less stiff as soon as the man in tweed walked out. She even noticed that he was following right alongside her, but keeping his distance at the same time. Maybe the Ood and Amy would never get along…

"Did the council give you your answer, Doctor?" Sigma inquired.

"Yeah, but what do they know?" he shrugged, his eyes still filled with fire and determination, "So, they can hear the song of the universe… Maybe they've mistaken some of the lyrics. It happens, you know. I _still _don't know all the words to _Benny and the Jets_."

Amy laughed in spite of herself and the fear she had. Why was the Doctor acting like this? Where were they going? What did the Ood Council say to him? And the biggest of them all: had he found her out? "Doctor, are you alright?"

They had just reached outside and the Doctor turned around to see Amy shiver lightly. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and putting the other on his hip, walking around in a small circle. Should he tell her? Wouldn't it work out better that way? Then, Amy could understand why the Doctor couldn't take her to Trenzalore, why she had to find someplace safe and stay far away from him. Should he tell her that her song was ending? "Amy, you trust me, don't you?" he asked after a few moments.

"Of course I do, stupid," she answered instantly. And for some reason, Amy found herself actually meaning it.

"Then get back in the TARDIS and stop asking stupid questions," the Doctor replied, giving her a smile that he hoped looked convincing, "I am always alright! Now, come on. We have places to go and people to see!"

The TARDIS didn't seem to be that far away since it took them half the time to get back to it than when they were on their way to the Ood, but that probably had to do with the Doctor's brisk pace. Amy tried to pick up her feet as best as they could so that she wouldn't kick snow up onto her legs, but it was more difficult than it sounded when the Doctor was practically running back to his blue box as if it were on fire. He stopped quickly at the door.

"It was great seeing you again, Sigma," he smiled, "I really would stay longer to chat, but I have something a bit more pressing to do."

"I know perfectly well, Doctor," the Ood replied, bowing his head, "But remember what they said. Not all is as it seems."

"Got it," he nodded, not really caring. He knew what the council said, but he was much too focused on the part where Amy died to puzzle over any other piece of it. "Really gotta go, though. Maybe I'll stop by sometime. Amy, TARDIS!"

Amy gave a small salute as the Doctor popped inside the TARDIS. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Sigma."

"Likewise, Miss Pond," the alien replied, but both knew that neither of them really felt like the other was telling the truth. She didn't mention it, though, because she also had a feeling that Ood Sigma didn't care whether she knew or not.

Instead, she asked, "Why don't you call me 'Amy'? 'Miss Pond' is a little formal, don't you think?" Amy didn't bring up the fact that _technically _she was _Missus _Pond. But the Ood heard. Telepathy was a great power to have. He could see everything, all her thoughts.

Which is why it was no surprise, except to maybe Amy, when Sigma replied, "I do not call you Amy, because you are not. You are not Amy Pond."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the redhead. It was the first time in a very long time that someone actually knew. Actually, it was the first someone since she was first created. Though Amy was worried and scared that the Ood would tell the Doctor, she also felt somewhat at ease. She could finally be herself, whatever that was. She wasn't pretending to be anyone but herself. It wasn't like there was anything significant, like a sudden distaste for apples or anything like that. It was just small things, but Amy supposed she really wasn't so different than her original anyways. They had the same memories after all. The copy was just the only one that knew the Doctor had to go, while her original was still lost and confused, thinking the Silence were the bad guys. Of course, this ganger would never forget how they stole Melody from her, but that was Kovarian and her stupid plan, and that woman with the dark lips and curly up-do had it coming when Amy brought the TARDIS back to Trenzalore.

"Why haven't you told him?" she asked, not even trying to deny it. What was the point?

"The universe is a strange place, Miss Pond, and not everything happens in the right order, or how you originally intended," Sigma explained, showing just a tiny bit of warmth towards her, which Amy guessed was because she hadn't tried lying to him, "But the Ood do believe that everything, in the end, happens as it should."

"So, you know what I'm going to do and you're just going to accept it and say that's how the universe intended?"

"I am saying that everything will happen as it should," he corrected, though the redhead didn't see much of a difference, "_You _are the one that seems to be questioning your actions, Miss Pond."

"I'm not questioning anything!" Amy argued. She _wasn't_. She knew she had to do this for the good of others. She had to do this for her family on Earth, for Rory and Melody. She had to do this for every single living thing in the universe. "I just thought you were his friend, is all!"

"Yes, and I thought you were too."

Amy opened her mouth, but was cut off by the Doctor, who yelled at her to hurry it up with the goodbyes and that they'd come back and visit again sometime if she wanted. Honestly, the Time Lord was just pleased that Amy had seemed to take a liking to one of his favorite species. If only he'd been paying attention to their conversation and not on the TARDIS, he would have known that Amy's preference, or lack thereof, really hadn't changed towards the Ood. Amy turned back to Sigma to say something, but she still couldn't think of a response, so she gave him a cool look, as though appraising him before saying a bit awkwardly, "Well, bye then."

"Goodbye, Miss Pond."

With that, Amy shut the TARDIS door and playfully loped up to the Doctor, who was staring at that same sticky note again. He couldn't help but think he knew that handwriting. But from where? "So, we going or what?" his companion asked, interrupting his brainstorming. The Doctor sighed, giving up for the moment and shoved the note back in his pocket. "So, since you won't tell me where we're going, can you at least tell me what the climate is?"

The Doctor chuckled, looking down at Amy's long legs that were only clad in her tights. They were shaking from the cold, the overcoat really not protecting anything that wasn't already covered. He couldn't help but think of the Ood Elder's words. Amy's song was ending. Amy's vibrant, colorful, lonely song was reaching its last crescendo. But he wouldn't have that. Going into this last trip, the Doctor had thought that the Ood would tell him all he needed to know, that they would have the answers he was seeking. What he didn't expect was for them to not have the answers that he _wanted_. So, the Doctor would continue finding out about Trenzalore without them. He had other friends already looking into it. There was no way that the Doctor was going to give up on this, give up on Amy. He couldn't sit back like Rory had, finding a new wife and having new, non-Scottish, non-ginger children. If the Doctor failed to save Amy, he wasn't sure what he'd do with himself.

It didn't matter anyways, though. Time could be rewritten. And he _was _a Time Lord, _lord of time_… It was kind of in the name. And he decided to keep thinking like that, because worrying was just going to drive him crazy. And, anyways, the Doctor was always ever the optimist.

* * *

><p>She didn't see what the big deal was here. It didn't seem at all special, so why were the Silence treating it as such? Amy had just been let out of the ship, which was apparently her last time on it. Bert and Leonard told Amy that she was going to be taken to a different holding cell now that they'd landed here, while the two soldiers had been stationed somewhere else. Amy had been sad to see her only friends go, especially when she saw who her guard was. It was Kovarian. "Why, Amy," she smiled, but not at all pleasantly. It was dirty and inky with her black lips. "What a nice surprise. I didn't actually think you and the Doctor had so easily fallen into Perez's trap. After all this talk about how <em>brilliant <em>you are.."

"Shut up," Amy hissed, unable to hide her hatred for that woman. She didn't even care about Perez with Kovarian standing in front of her. This was the woman who had taken her baby, her precious daughter. She was the one that had tried killing the Doctor more than once and who had made sure Amy sure as hell had a hard time believing in reality. She'd always feared that she would explode into the Flesh goo again, though Perez obviously saw a ganger was better fit to do the job. "You're just mad because they've found your replacement."

"I'm not the only one who's been replaced," Madame Kovarian shot back teasingly, "I hear the Doctor has himself a new toy." Amy growled at her as the woman laughed, attempting to lunge at her but two guards, not her usual friends, were holding her securely away before throwing her into the cell. It looked just like a prison anywhere else with a simple cot, one window high up towards the window, and surrounded bars. Kovarian pulled the small key from out of her breast pocket and gingerly locked the door, her attitude sickly sweet.

"Oi!" Amy said threateningly, "He thinks she's _me_. He still loves me and once he gets here, because he _will_, you're all going to be sorry!"

"Oh, stupid girl… Don't you know where you are?" the woman tusked, shaking her head as she stared at the redhead with mock pity. When Amy didn't answer, she continued. "This is Trenzalore, Amy Pond. This is where the Eleventh Doctor will fall. We all will if that little copy of yours doesn't do her job."

"What do you mean he's going to fall?" She chose to ignore the fact that Kovarian had just called her stupid, something she wouldn't have done if the villainess wasn't her warden and had information that Amy wanted.

"The only legend, Amy. _On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the Eleventh…"_

_ "_That's just a story!" she scoffed. "He's going to survive like he always does!"

Madame Kovarian didn't answer her for a second and Amy wondered if she _wanted _the Doctor to win. Did she feel betrayed by the Silence for replacing her with another woman to carry out their evil deeds and mess with peoples' lives? Amy was gripping onto the black bars, hoping she could come up with some magic escape. But she wasn't the Doctor, the one that could get out of _any _trap. Finally, the older woman spoke. "You haven't noticed yet that there's two beds in your cell, Amy. Don't you want to know who your cell mate is?"

"What are you talking about?" the redhead asked. The bed looked completely made. She'd thought the second cot was just empty… No, wait. There was something peeking out from underneath the bed. Amy ran over to it, realizing it was a picture frame. It was the picture of her holding her sweet baby Melody, before they'd taken her away. "What…?"

"Yes, little Melody is here," Kovarian nodded, then frowned deeply, "Exiled here like myself. They all know that River ends up a complete failure now and, really, I should have known."

"Where's Melody?"

"The Doctor is only incapable of understanding _one _kind of warfare," she continued, as though she hadn't heard Amy, "Love. And _you _are the one that he loves. I should've gone right to the source instead of taking a falling fruit from the tree…"

"Where. Is. _Melody_?" Her voice was increasing in volume, becoming frantic as she held the picture together.

Kovarian sighed as though Amy was a major inconvenience to her, which Amy supposed, she probably was. She inched her face near the bars. "She's been such a good girl lately," Madame Kovarian grinned, "So I let her play with one of our newest soldiers. Eliza, your daughter's best friend? The one I caught sneaking into my files?" Amy vaguely remembered the name, only from when Melody had spoken of her. "Except I'd stay away from her if I were you. Eliza doesn't seem to like you very much, Mrs. Pond."

"And why is that?" she demanded.

Kovarian's grin widened and her face was so close to Amy's. If only she could fit her arm through the bars. They were way too close together. "Because you were the last thing Eliza's father saw before he was killed and left in a filthy alley on _Earth _of all places. Eliza's father was _Colonel Manton._"

** Daniel Price: That's really kind of you! Haha. I wouldn't even know who to go to for that, though. I'm also only kind of 17 and American. :P Hard to get in touch with the BBC. Plus, I think my writing needs to evolve and mature a bit more before I really try to do something as serious as that. There is still progress to be made! Seriously, though. Totally flattered that you think I'm good enough to contribute to the Doctor Who story.**

**Subscribe. Favorite. Review. Or I'll leave you to the Teselecta's antibodies. You will feel a slight tingly sensation and then death. **


	16. In My Bones I Feel the Warmth

**Hey, guys! Guess what? This is our first multi-chapter storyline in like forever! **

**Which reminds me. I'm just going to tell you right now that this chapter is sort of weird. But... You're just going to have to be confused. I think this is going to have three chapters. Maybe two depending on how far I write into the next one after this. All your questions will eventually be answered, though, and hopefully when it all comes together, it'll be totally logical and explained and all that junk(:**

**Alright. Let's get down to business to defeat the Hun. I own absolutely nothing in this chapter. Nothing. Didn't make a single thing up. And, also, review to get a sneak peek. If you review and DON'T want a sneak peek, just mention it. I know there's some that like to read the entirety of the chapter but still feel like chatting with me. Which is cool, because as you can see with this freaking long A/N, I'M A CHATTER!**

**Oh, wait. This chapter title comes from "What's This?" in The Nightmare Before Christmas. And yes. I realize how weird this all is seeing as we're in August and I'm being all Christmas-y.. But they're actually filming the Christmas special right now, so WHATEVER.**

**Okay. Officially done now. You may continue on and read(: Enjoy!**

Amy had just been taking out the roast when she heard a knock at the door. It wasn't the first one of the night, of course not. But, really, these people were starting to get on her nerves, more insistent than her Aunt Sharon and her mother combined. She shoved off her oven mitts and walked down the hall to answer it, groaning the whole way and grabbing the plastic toy off of a nearby table.

"If that is more carol-singers," she threatened, "I have a water pistol!" She'd already said she was going to do this if another group showed up. A girl could only listen to 'Jingle Bells' so many times before she wanted to rip her ears off. Amy twisted the knob, and swung the door open just as she began to speak again. "You don't want to be all wet on a night like this-"

Everything stopped. Her heart, her breathing, maybe even time itself. It wouldn't be the first time. Because it was him. It was the Doctor. It was the Doctor staring at her with sad, pleading eyes that begged for forgiveness, shoulders slumped and speckled with snow. The first question to pop up into a normal person's head would be "What is he doing on my front doorstep on Christmas Eve?" The first question that popped into Amy's was "Why the hell did this idiot take so long?" Because she knew that the Doctor came back. He _always _did.

The Doctor looked at the redhead carefully, trying to see what her reaction might be. She seemed to be stunned, which was good and very reasonable seeing as he was suddenly appearing from the dead. His head throbbed at the thought of that, but he ignored it, blaming it on his nerves. Why had he let that woman, Mauve, convince him that this was okay? Now, here he was, just the old Doctor popping up for a visit looking absolutely pathetic while Amy looked as beautiful as ever… And there was just silence between them, which hardly ever happened seeing as the two _loved _talking.

He decided to break it, but was really unsure of what to say. Should he apologize? How long had it been? Amy definitely hadn't aged enough for it to be another twelve years. She still seemed so young and pretty, her hair bright red and practically burning his eyes with the intensity of its color. "I'm not really sure… _How _long…" he started, hoping he could do one of those things where he just kept talking and ended up saying something right in the end.

"Two years?" Amy finished, feeling a surge of anger charge through her. Why was he always leaving her? And why did she care? Wasn't she perfectly happy? She didn't need him. Which was exactly why she took her anger out on the man that was always keeping her waiting. By squirting him with a plastic water pistol.

He raised his hands up and tried swiping the cold water off, which really didn't help with the cold, snowy weather. "Okay! Fair point!"

She stopped shooting, remembering something. The last time she'd seen the Doctor… Wasn't in the TARDIS? Amy had such a strange image of curling up in the blankets next to him, but she knew that that couldn't be right… Could it? The question only made her head throb more. No, the last time she'd seen the Doctor was when he'd left her outside her new home with her new car and her same, old Rory, off to go die at Lake Silencio and make a past version of herself watch. Amy remembered it clearly, how she had tried to stop his death from happening in a time period that never existed by running a team with River and calling to the universe for help. She remembered thinking he was dead and feeling alone and needing someone to talk to as she contemplated what she'd done to Madame Kovarian. Why did she love a man that wasn't her husband? Why did she love a man that caused her so much pain? Why did she love….. Well, why did she love him at all? And why did Amy find this so wrong? It was always her, wasn't it? The Doctor and Amy Pond? She'd had these feelings for him for quite a while, had whispered it to his 'dead' body on Lake Silencio. Amy almost blushed at the memory, but quickly changed the subject before she became noticeably embarrassed.

"So… You're not… Dead, then?" She vaguely remembered discussing this with Rory, that they were going to put on an act for him just to see if he fessed up. It honestly didn't surprise Amy when he didn't.

"And a happy new year!" the Doctor grinned, hoping she'd forgive him. He knew what he did was wrong, but in using the Teselecta, he was rewriting his past, which was a dangerous and tricky thing. It was best to keep these things as close as you could, and he _knew _that was the date and time on those invitations. He _knew _that was the blue stationary as soon as he spotted it in Craig's home. Craig… Oh, the Doctor wondered if Amy would enjoy the announcement that he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask Sophie to marry him. Wait, no. That seemed wrong. Of course Amy wouldn't know. She'd never met him before.

"River told us," Amy said, her voice low and her eyes narrowing and the Doctor didn't have a chance to figure out what was so wrong before his two hearts stopped. This was going to be even harder to apologize for now that Amy'd been fuming about this for two whole years.

"Well _of course_ she did," he replied with a roll of his eyes.

"She's a good girl!" she argued, defending her daughter. At least _she _had the decency to tell her old mum what was going on. The Doctor liked to keep Amy out of it. Then again, wasn't she keeping him out of something, too? She continued to stare hard at the Doctor, showing him that she was still that same stubborn ginger he'd left… _Again. _"Well?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow, "I'm not gonna hug first."

"Nor am I," the Doctor replied childishly, even though he really wanted to. He wanted to so very badly. He knew that Amy loved him and he loved her right back. But there were things in the way… There were _always _things in the way when it was him and Amy. So, even though he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms, hear her make fun of his bow tie, and have him make a comeback about her tacky Christmas sweater, he stood on the doorstep, letting the water seep into his tweed jacket.

But Amy wasn't budging either. The idiot hadn't even apologized yet! She didn't understand why _he _wasn't the one making the move, but she was sure he was just sore about not getting a warm welcome back like he'd expected, one where she would have ran up and hugged him and cried on his shoulder. Well, _that _wasn't happening. Just as Amy was thinking about how he was going to have to hug her or they'd stand there all night, making her roast cold, when she peeked over and saw that stupid, adorably sweet smile on his face. Amy tried to resist it, to keep a straight face, but before she knew it, she was laughing and he was waving his long arms. They didn't really know who did it first. They sort of met halfway and Amy heard herself say, "Oh, come here!" but even if someone asked later on, she would still say it was him.

She didn't really care at that moment. She just wanted him. Amy wanted to feel him and have his body close to hers again. For some reason, she felt like she'd done way more than this before and had the strongest urge to kiss him and take him right there in the doorway. The Doctor, too, felt something as he squeezed his Amelia Pond tightly. She smelled like cinnamon and meat and that familiar smell of sweet pea and lavender. He'd missed it. Why did it seem like he hadn't smelled that in so long? Maybe because he _hadn't_. It had been a while since the Doctor chose to leave Amy and Rory behind. But he also had an image flash into his head of Amy naked beneath his sheets, giggling at something that he'd said, her red hair tickling his skin as she laid down on his pale chest.

This didn't seem like the time or place for _those _sorts of thoughts, especially about his married companion. As if reading his mind, Amy yelled for her husband. "Mr. Pond!" she called, "Guess who's coming for dinner?!"

Yes, Rory. Why did they both seem to forget about Rory? Either way, the man was popping his head out of the hallway, probably trying to get a taste of Amy's pie before she noticed. "Hey!" he smiled, crossing his arms to hide the evidence of what he may or may not have tasted and walked up beside Amy. She smiled at her husband and the Doctor felt a twinge of jealousy, more so than usual. She was _his. _She'd chosen _him, _hadn't she? No… He'd told her back at that '80s hotel to give up on him… And she still hadn't… Because she was his mad, impossible, brilliant Amy Pond and he was her Raggedy Doctor. And it would always be the two of them. But he wasn't going to do anything because of Rory, because he was one of his very good friends and was one of the best men the Doctor had ever come to know.

"Not dead then?" Rory asked casually, late to the joke as usual.

"Already said that," Amy said, shrugging.

"Okay, then." He sounded a little disappointed, because he was. Rory had _really _been looking forward to that part when the Doctor decided to show up in their lives again. And without fail, he did. The Doctor and Amy were always the two geniuses Rory was always lagging behind, the gooseberry that no one wanted to admit he was. "You staying for dinner?"

"No," the Doctor started. He wanted to. He wanted nothing more than to spend his Christmas with his two companions. Before, he'd never wanted to do the Christmas dinner thing, but this body really loved the idea of it. He loved how everyone got to be a child for just one day out of the year and rip apart paper, play with toys, give away presents, and sit around a table with the only people you could really want to spend the day with. And he had only just arrived, only just seen Rory and Amy and… The Doctor didn't feel like leaving her again. Still. "I don't want to be any trouble…"

"It's no trouble!" Rory replied, "There's a place set for you."

"For me?" he asked, the meaning of it not dawning on the Time Lord quite yet, "Why did you set me a place? You didn't know I was coming."

"Oh, because we always do!" Amy sighed, as if needing to ask was the most ridiculous thing in the universe, even more than his bow ties, "It's Christmas, you moron!"

The other two had turned away, beckoning him towards the kitchen before they could notice the look on the Doctor's face, the one that realized he had a home. But it wasn't just that. That wasn't what made him shed those happy tears as he closed the blue door to the Ponds' home on that Christmas night, chuckling to himself. He knew that Amy would always be there for him, just like he would her. She would set a place for him at her table every dinner, because she believed him when he said that he would always come back. Suddenly, the Doctor realized that Amy Pond was more than just a girl that he'd picked up and fallen in love with. Aside from the TARDIS, she was the closest thing he had to a home.

"Oi!" Amy cried, "Will you hurry up and shut the door? Your dinner's getting cold!" Meanwhile, the redhead felt quite strange. She felt okay with this, this life as Rory's wife and cooking meals and working as a model. But she could do _so _much more… Amy couldn't help but feel like she should be out in space, back in the TARDIS again, kicking alien butts and taking names.

The Doctor quickly went into the kitchen, watching with a bit of amusement as he stood next to Rory in the doorway of the dining area, watching Amy bustle about the kitchen. He'd always thought that she would have been a rubbish cook, too bossy and going too fast to want to do an activity like this. These were true, but they actually worked with her. She knew how to command a kitchen and worked efficiently so things got on the table quicker. Also, Amy had teased more than once that she'd really tried learning to cook because her imaginary friend had spit everything out that she'd made him when she was younger.

"She's really missed you, you know," Rory said, nodding towards the redhead running towards the fridge to grab out the salad she'd made an hour before. "It was hard on her. Before River told us everything."

He tried not to let the guilt linger at how his lies had affected his poor Amelia Pond. "You know I couldn't tell you. Or her," the Doctor replied, trying to defend his actions more towards himself than to Rory, "You know Amy. I tell her a plan and she does something that completely throws it."

"You still should have visited earlier. It's been _two years_, Doctor," Rory returned gently, his tone soft enough so that it wasn't unfriendly, but still not warm, and was quite enough so that it remained unheard by his wife, "I don't really remember much of that alternate timeline, but Amy's told me enough. She killed a woman, Doctor. She killed Madame Kovarian and she needed _you _to tell her that she was okay."

"You're her husband, Roranicus!" It was a lie, him pretending like Rory being married to Amy making any difference. He'd always been her best friend, the one she came to for everything. She'd even told him about Melody and being pregnant before it got Rory. Still, he didn't enjoy this side of the Mr. Pond right at that moment. The Doctor knew what he did to them was wrong, but he had his reasons.

"I mean, I guess I understand. Right after you left us here, Amy knew exactly what you were doing. She said you were saving us."

"I was," the Doctor nodded, glad that Amy knew that he was leaving her for a very good reason. He was a dangerous man with a dangerous future and he didn't want to see the Ponds leave him like some other companions had, in ways that didn't end well.

"Then why are you back?"

It was a question that the Doctor had been asking himself since the moment his TARDIS landed across the street. He knew that seeing Amy and Rory endangered not only himself, but also his two friends. What if the Silence were watching? The idea was already causing a sharp pain to stab into his skull. The simple answer was that the Time Lord was lonely. He'd watched the Arwells playing and laughing and having a wonderful holiday now that they were all reunited, and he'd wanted that for himself. Was the Doctor really that selfish? To risk Amy and Rory's lives because he needed just a bit of companionship?

He didn't answer, thankfully, because the Doctor didn't even know how to respond. Instead, Amy turned around to beam at them while she carried out her potatoes. "Come on, boys," she said, walking into the white room. It wasn't painted anything but a pure white, but it looked nice. And there were actually pictures up of friends and family, Amy and Rory, even some of them being professional shots of Amy now that she was a model. The Doctor felt both happy and a little sad that she'd so easily been able to set up a life without him. But that's what he wanted, didn't he? That's one of the reasons in the first place. There was something, though, that made the Time Lord think that Amy had chosen differently, that she had finally been given an ultimatum and this wasn't even the choice she had made. Wishful thinking? Either way, it'd have to wait until later. Rory was already smiling and sitting across from Amy at the medium-sized wooden table that seated 6 people, both of the Ponds at either head of it.

The Doctor sat next to Amy and began shoveling the potatoes onto his plate, drenching it in gravy, and grabbing a large slice of her roast. He hadn't had a home-cooked meal in too long… He couldn't even think of when, and trying to remember that far back just made his head hurt. So the Doctor happily munched on Amy's dinner, grinning at her with a mouthful of food and making the redhead burst into giggles. "This is absolutely amazing, Pond!" he said happily.

"Yeah, great job, Sweetheart," Rory nodded, shaking his head at the silly Time Lord and working through his own meal at a pace faster than usual.

Amy smiled, feeling whole once more. "Look here. I've got both my boys here for Christmas," she sighed contentedly, "What more could a girl ask for?" Amy Pond had always been the girl asking for more, for the impossible. She was always asking for the stars. But sitting there at the table with the Doctor, she knew she'd already gotten all that. Rory and the Doctor were her two best friends, and it didn't matter that there was still tension from her closeness with the Doctor, their feelings for each far more than friendship.

The rest of the evening went splendidly, though Amy noticed that the Doctor _did _try and avoid any sort of solo conversations with Rory. She wondered if her husband had said something, but decided to question him about it later once he left. Because she knew he wouldn't stay with them forever. He was going to leave in that blue box without her like the Doctor always did. Not even the awful singing of Christmas carols with Rory playing the piano, or the unwrapping of a few presents, or hot chocolate and sugary desserts could make Amy forget that.

Still, as she stood in the doorway with the Doctor and Rory, ready to say their goodbyes, she couldn't help but tear up a little. She'd missed him so much and already her imaginary friend was leaving again, off to travel all by himself, an idea Amy truly hated. She knew the demons inside of that old man would come out at some point, and the Doctor wouldn't have anyone there to help him through it like she had that night after the Dream Lord paid them a visit. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" she asked worriedly.

"For the hundredth time, Pond, yes! I'll be okay," the man in tweed reassured her, wrapping his arms around his old companion. The Doctor was going to miss her, so he took in every single piece of his Amy Pond, the way she smelled, the way her red hair tickled his face, how soft she was despite her sometimes harsh personality. "I'm always okay, remember?"

"Of course I remember. You say that all the time, but do you ever mean it?" she asked, pulling away to look at him seriously. Amy could see the Doctor's old eyes become even older and sadder than before, giving her the answer he wouldn't say out loud. She could already see the wall building back up, the defense mechanism he had that pushed everything back to be confronted with later. "Doctor, I don't want you to travel alone. Please let me come with you."

"Amy," the Doctor sighed, shaking his head. He wanted to tell her that he would take her along to see more of the universe, of course he would. But he couldn't. He remembered when Rory had asked him why he was there if he was such a danger to the pair. And he was right in asking it. The Doctor had entangled himself into their lives far too much and he needed to get out of it before they got into any real danger. "I can't. I can't take you with me."

"Please," she begged, "There's still more stars to see, aren't there? I _know _your big, stupid head can think of some planets you forgot to show me last time 'round!"

"No, Amelia," he said with as much finality as he could, "I'm too dangerous now. You've got your life with Rory here now. You're not coming with me."

Rory didn't say anything, leaning up against the doorframe and watching the pair. He knew that if Amy went, he would have to as well, but he loved the life they had here. It had been two great years and he just hoped Amy would listen for once and stay. Part of him wished, not for the first time that night, that the Doctor had never even shown up in the first place.

"Oi," Amy replied, her voice low and her arms unwrapping from his neck , one resting on her hop and the other to poke angrily at the Doctor's chest, "We've known you were dangerous from the very beginning. I've known all about your arch enemies and all that. But I've always been there, yeah? We both have. And you need someone, Doctor. You know you do. You're just too big of an idiot to say it."

"Amy, I-" the Doctor started. Her words vaguely reminded him of what Donna had once told him, though he knew they meant different things. They were both women who realized that the Doctor was a very old man with more issues than he ever really let on, but Donna meant that he needed someone to stop him when his 900 years of built up _anger_ came out. Amy meant that he needed someone to be there for him when his 900 years of sadness and complete loneliness came out.

"Besides," she snapped, starting to get just a little irritated. Amy knew the Doctor wanted her to come with him, and Rory. And she wanted to go back, too. Why was he being so stupid? "Look at us now! We had a perfectly good night, yeah? You spent a whole four hours here and has there been any mean aliens or robots trying to blow up the Earth?" She didn't even give him a chance to answer, "No? I didn't think so!"

The Doctor was trying to come up with a good argument, but nothing was coming out. Why was she so bloody stubborn? Even Rory was crossing his fingers that he could say something clever. Maybe they could distract Amy and then have the Doctor slip back into the TARDIS before she could run back to him? Neither were able to really come up with anything, though, because then there was something that caught their eyes in the sky, a bright ball of white and green fire heading straight down to the Earth. It landed a bit farther from their home, somewhere in the city, but they could still feel the ground shaking. There was a great big flash of light, blinding the three temporarily.

"What was that?" the Doctor asked curiously after a few moments of staring at where the comet-like thing had crashed. Car alarms had started to go off and there were sirens.

Rory replied back, "I think Amy may have just jinxed our 'perfectly good night.'"


	17. Absolutely No One's Dead

**Hi, everyone! Sorry I took a bit of time with this one. I just had a bit of trouble with it. But hopefully you guys will like it. I know you're probably confused about what's going on, but I promise that everything will be explained in the next chapter!**

**Okay. This title is still from "What's This?" from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' which I'll probably use for the next chapter, too. I kinda... Well, this title is sorta a joke. Once you're done reading this, you'll understand. ^_^ You just might not find much humor in it. **

**Remember that I own absolutely nothing! And review to get a sneak peek and all that good junk :P Alrighty. Enjoy!**

"Doctor," Amy said, looking at the city. The clouds above it were lit orange, but not by the city lights. No, they were flames, "Doctor, what do you think it is?"

He continued to stare curiously at the city for a minute, before Amy's words apparently made it through. Then, the Doctor remembered that Amy and Rory were there, that he wasn't by himself anymore and he had friends to protect. "I don't know," he replied honestly, "But it doesn't look good. Amy, Rory, thanks for dinner. Stay in the house and wait until I get back, alright?"

"Whoa, hold it there, mister," Amy frowned and looking straight into the Doctor's eyes fiercely, "You're not leaving and doing this all by yourself. Who knows what could be out there?"

"Exactly my point, Pond." The Doctor saw that she was serious about this, but so was he. He turned his head to look back at where the ball of light had hit. He needed to get over there as fast as he could and fix this. There were people dying over there and he didn't doubt that whatever this was would spread. And the Doctor needed to stop this before it reached the Ponds' home. "Keep the door locked. Remember that, Rory," he continued, "Don't answer the door for anyone, not even me. I'll park the TARDIS somewhere in here, alright?"

Rory nodded. He knew that Amy would argue, but the Doctor would just have to resist saying 'yes' to her. He knew the Time Lord still remembered what Rory had said a very long time ago. He was dangerous and he made others do dangerous things to impress him, Amy definitely included. Whatever this was was already causing so much destruction in the short amount of time that it had been on the planet. "Amy, come on," he urged, "Let's just let the Doctor do his thing."

Amy tore her eyes away from the Doctor to glare at Rory. Why was he on his side? Didn't he care about him, too? They were all three friends and she didn't understand how her husband could let their friend go out there by himself to face whatever this was, not after all the times he had been there for them. "We're not leaving him, Rory," she said stubbornly, arms crossing on her chest, "At least I'm not."

"This isn't up for discussion, Amelia," the Doctor sighed, but his tone was firm, "Now I know this may be hard for you, but do as I say. Get in the house."

"Rory, give us a minute." The man looked at his wife, confused, but knew that she was probably making him leave just so that it wasn't two on one. But the Doctor by himself might just lose this battle with Amy. He gave him one last look that said 'Good luck' and went to the kitchen to finish up the dishes. Rory strained to hear the conversation, but their voices were muffled. Amy had obviously taken the conversation outside.

Meanwhile, Amy stood on her front doorstep, shivering slightly from the snow. She stared at the Doctor pleadingly. "Please don't do this. Let me go with you."

"Amy, I'm through putting you in danger," he said softly, hoping she would see that he was doing this for her own good, "That's why I left in the first place. You know that. And it was stupid of me to come back."

"You idiot, I would have found you anyways, even if you hadn't have come back today," she smiled, hugging the Doctor tightly. Amy didn't want him to leave again and she didn't regret his visit for a single second. Of course not. He was her best friend.

And he didn't doubt her for a second, hugging her back with the same strong grip as she had with him. Neither wanted to let go, to leave each other again. They'd only seen each other for a few hours and it definitely didn't make up for how lonely the Doctor was or how empty Amy had felt. After a few moments, the Doctor let go and pulled away. "Amy, I have to go. And I won't take you with me."

She didn't say anything for a few moments, pursing her lips and looking down. The Doctor knew she was trying to hide the fact that she was about to cry. "Fine," she murmured quietly, knowing that he wasn't going to change his mind and that the more she argued, the more people died, "Just don't go and get yourself killed, alright? I don't have any fish fingers or custard for you if you come back regenerating this time."

He smiled softly, shoving his hands into his pocket and turning to leave to the TARDIS. Amy didn't look back up for a few moments until he had just reached the blue box. She didn't want to say goodbye, because, honestly, she didn't think it was. He would be back. He _always_ came back. So she said something else, something that she should have said much sooner to him. "Hey," Amy called out, and the Doctor turned to look back at her. She smiled and met his eyes, even though she knew he could probably see that they were glistening. "I love you."

The words flew from her lips and they really felt so familiar, like they'd said it a million times. And the Doctor grinned. For some reason, he felt like he'd heard it a million times, too. "I know," he replied.

"What? How?" Amy frowned, then. That wasn't the answer she'd expected and she'd sort of been expecting a bigger reaction.

"Lake Silencio, Pond," the Doctor reminded her, his hand reached up towards the handle, the city's fire still visible from the corner of his eye. Amy rolled her eyes, hoping he couldn't see her blush. She'd really hoped he hadn't heard that back then, but apparently that wasn't so. And then she realized that whole bloody ship must have heard her, which just made her blush harder. She turned towards the front door. But stopped when she heard the Doctor call back, "I love you too, Amy."

She turned back around and smirked. "Yeah, I know."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to frown. "How do _you_ know?"

"Duh, stupid. You've already to-" Amy stopped. No. That was wrong. The Doctor had never told her he loved her… But then why did it seem like he'd said something so obvious? Hadn't he told her almost a hundred times before…? Amy's head started to throb again. "I… Never mind. Just go and save the planet already, will you? And call me if you need something. I mean it."

The Doctor stuck his tongue out at her. "Alright, alright. Just get inside and lock the door, will you?" He didn't forget the puzzled look on Amy's face just then. Something was up there. How did she know? And why did this seem so familiar saying and hearing that he loved her? It only made his head hurt and the Doctor had more problems to fix, like the possible destruction of the planet Earth. He would just have to deal with this little problem later. It didn't seem to be hurting anyone. It was just plain odd.

Amy nodded, turning back around and heading into the house, hoping the Doctor really would call if he ran into trouble. She didn't care if this was for her own good. Sometimes, it was that idiot that needed to be saved, too. She got a strong whiff of something that smelled rank and Amy was reminded of sewage and slime, but that only made her head pound harder.

When he finally got into the TARDIS, he instantly went to the center of London to see what was happening. The Doctor made sure to park the blue phone box in an abandoned alley that barely even fit it just so that it wouldn't be harmed or anything. He walked down the alleyway, bracing himself for what he was about to see and his sonic already out and ready. But when the Doctor jumped out, he saw nothing. There was no one. It was a complete ghost town. Windows to shops were broken and buildings were on crackling from fires that had only just begun, but the Doctor didn't see a single person. He walked down a street and saw nothing, only a strip mall. And just as he passed by an electronic store, the Doctor heard something.

"_Ten_."

"Hello?" The Doctor knocked on the shop window, but he saw nothing there. What was going on? "Hello? Is anyone in there? I'm the Doctor. I'm here to help!" But still there was no answer. He peered closer into the door, but there was absolutely no movement. There was no one inside. "Maybe I really am turning into a complete mad man…"

The Doctor began walking away.

"_Nine_."

He stopped again and ran quickly back to the window. He _knew _he heard something. It sounded human, but the Time Lord had learned that that really didn't mean anything. But still there didn't seem to be anything inside… The Doctor turned around quickly to check out the rest of the street. Still nothing in sight. He looked back at the electronic store's window, deciding it was a better start than nothing.

* * *

><p>After the Doctor left, Amy immediately locked all the doors and turned out all the lights in the house, having candles and the Christmas tree be the only light sources. Her and Rory sat in the middle of the living room, but she didn't say anything. What was there to say? She was just crossing her fingers and hoping that the Doctor was okay, that he'd already found the problem and was fixing it right then. Part of her was wished he'd call just so that she knew he was okay, but another didn't. Because she told him to call only when he needed help. And if things were that bad, Amy definitely had something to worry about.<p>

"You think he's okay?" Rory asked, voicing the thoughts that were running through his wife's head.

"I don't know," she replied, "And I don't like it. I don't like not knowing what's going on."

"Welcome to my world," he sighed, then leaned back and laid down on the floor. He was still a bit sleepy after that Christmas dinner. "Amy, what time is it?"

"Eight," she said immediately.

"Eight?" Rory's eyes popped open and he checked his watch. It felt way later than 8 o'clock at night. And it was. "It's 10. You're two hours off."

"Oi! You're the one with the watch!" Amy shot back, rubbing her temple. Her head was throbbing, but it was different from the pain before when she was talking to the Doctor. This was like something was pushing against her skull, trying to get out. She felt like her head was about to burst. Suddenly, she heard something. It was almost like a door had opened. "Rory, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asked, "I didn't hear anything."

Maybe it was just nothing, then.

* * *

><p>The Doctor had just gotten through two aisles when he heard the voice go off again, his ears already straining to hear where it might be coming from. It had already spoken once before, which led him over to northeast corner of the store.<p>

"_Seven_."

He followed the voice right to a tape recorder, a message machine. The Doctor scanned the box, flicking the sonic screwdriver back up to read the results. There was definitely alien technology in that. But what was it? And why did that voice sound so familiar? "Okay, alien technology in a electronic store," he muttered to himself, pacing about and trying to make sense of this, "Aliens come down to Earth, humans disappear… Could they be looking for this? Maybe it's a part of their ship or _maybe _it has a very important message from Mum." He hit himself on the forehead with the screwdriver after the last bit. "No, no time for clever jokes… But how am I supposed to know what to look for if I don't even know who the big bad aliens are?!"

"_Uh… That's it, I'm afraid. There's no more from you on the transcript. That's the last I've got… I don't know what's stopped you talking but I can guess_," a familiar male voice said, and all of a sudden the whole room was illuminated by the televisions turning on to show one face. It was his face, the Doctor's, but a completely different one from the one he had at the moment. This version of him had rectangular frames on, spiked up hair, and was wearing a suit. He seemed a little bit confused at this point in the film, and the Doctor stared in horror, remembering where this was from. "_They're coming. The Angels are coming for you, but listen. Your life could depend on this. Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are _fast_, faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and _don't blink_! …Good luck_."

Everything stopped then and it was silent, the televisions all frozen on the Tenth Doctor's face. The current Doctor's mouth hung open, realizing what this meant. He turned around fast, backing his body up against the wall and quickly scanned the room. He didn't see any Angels… But it explained why there was no one out of the streets. The humans probably were panicked about something dropping from the sky, but that was exactly what the Angels needed. A diversion. And then they started making their rounds and picking everyone off… But this was London… And everyone was gone… Did they really need all that potential energy? The Doctor knew there must be a lot of them. Why were they here? To get his TARDIS? Had they known he was coming?

He made his way down the aisle of radios and walkie-talkies, carefully scanning the area for any angels. The Doctor just needed to know why they were here. Something crackled to life and the Time Lord slightly jumped, recovering when he saw it was a walkie-talkie. The other one was still next to it, though, and obviously not on. He picked it up, carefully.

"Excuse me?" a voice said. It was male and it, too, sounded all too familiar, "Hello, Doctor? A-Angel Bob here, sir."

This must be some sort of joke. This couldn't possibly be the same Angel Bob. "Angel Bob?" The Doctor asked, holding down on the speaker, "Angel Bob from the Byzantium?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, this couldn't possibly be you. This is some sort of trick," the Doctor replied, shaking his head.

"This is no trick, sir."

"No, you were wiped from existence! I threw your lot into the crack and it closed without you being able to get out of it!"

"Sorry, sir. But that's not how it happened. We escaped. All of us, all of the angels. And now we've come back for you, sir," Angel Bob said, his voice neutral as ever as though they were having a conversation about what they'd had for breakfast, "We've come back to take over your world."

"This isn't my world," the Doctor pointed out.

"No, but it's hers, sir." He didn't even have to ask to know who Angel Bob was talking about. "We are an army and we have grown strong. We will take over all the stars in the universe and Earth is only the beginning. The Angels have started here for revenge, Doctor. Against you and Miss Amy Pond."

The Doctor froze. They were going to go after Amy. He had to warn her, tell her to hide in a room and to not blink, to definitely not blink and to keep from staring into their eyes. "You stay away from her," he warned, almost to the door. He heard loud screeching through the walkie-talkie and knew what it meant. They were laughing. His mind had already gone to the worst possible scenario. Had they already gotten her? He quickly took out his little phone and dialed up Amy, continuing to talk to Angel Bob. "What have you done to her?"

Angel Bob didn't answer. Instead, the Doctor heard it just as Amy answered the phone.

"_Six_." And now he knew why that voice sounded so familiar. It was hers. They had her counting again.

"Amy?" the Doctor said through the phone, "Amelia? Can you hear me?"

"Doctor?" The sound of her saying something other than a number sent relief flooding through him. He quickly got out of the shop, listening to the bell on the door jingle as he checked around for the Angels. He spotted a statue on a building just a few meters away and he made sure to keep his eye on it. "Doctor, what's going on? Why are you calling? Do you need help?"

"No, no, no," he said, "Amy, let me talk to Rory."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it!" the Doctor shouted. He heard some muffling, so glad that she was in a cooperative mood today. It could just be the Christmas spirit. He backed up slowly against the window of the electronic shop, keeping his eye on the only Angel in sight as Rory got on the phone. "Rory?"

"Doctor, what is it?"

"It's the Angels, the Weeping Angels. I need you to get into a room with Amy, somewhere with no windows and only one entrance. Make sure to bring candles and flashlights, because they will be able to turn off the lights, alright?"

"I wasn't there with you two when that happened," Rory hissed, probably trying to make sure his wife couldn't hear. They both knew just how scared she was of the Weeping Angels. "I don't know what to do."

"Just keep them in sight, alright! Don't look in their eyes and whatever you do, do not blink! I'll get over there as fast as I can. Now give the phone over to Amy. I need to talk to her." While Rory got Amy, the Doctor turned his attention to the walkie-talkie. "Angel Bob?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"You're making Amy count again." It wasn't a question or an accusation. Just a plain station. "So, what? Now that you're back, the Angel in her mind is back?"

"Yes, sir," Angel Bob answered, "The Angels would like me to tell you that things have changed, though, sir."

"Changed? How?" He could hear Amy's voice asking for him in the phone, but the Doctor was a bit busy at the moment.

"They have found a different use for her," Angel Bob said simply, "Before, they were going to have her join them, but they don't need her anymore, sir. We are already have a strong army. We have already spread so far over this Earth."

"So what are you going to do with her now?" There wasn't an answer. "_What are you going to with her_? Tell me now!"

"We will use her against you, sir."

The Doctor didn't know what that quite meant yet, but he had been backing up enough so that he was able to inch along the wall, then quickly scanned the rest of the road. There were three statues now on the building above him. He gulped, taking the phone to his ear and meeting Amy's worried voice. "Amy, shut up," he murmured, "You're in trouble and I need you to follow Rory's instructions, alright?"

"_Five_."

He drew in a sharp breath. "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything," Amy replied unsurely, "Doctor, please tell me what's going on. You know I don't like being in the dark about things. Do you need help?"

"I need you to close your eyes, Amy," he said quickly.

"What?"

"Just close your eyes!" He could feel it now, the edge of the alleyway where the TARDIS was parked. He backed up into it, the Doctor's eyes not leaving the three Angels until they were completely out of sight. He was worried about Amy, not knowing exactly what would happen once she reached zero, but knowing perfectly well that it wasn't good.

"Doctor, what are you going on about?" she asked. Amy didn't understand what he was talking about. She didn't see why she should close her eyes. Wasn't she supposed to be looking out for any invading aliens? "You're not telling me something. So go on, tell me."

"You're just going to have to trust me on this one, Pond," he breathed as he walked backwards, feeling for the TARDIS. How long was this alley, anyways? "Now, do as I tell you. _Close your eyes_."

"_Four_."

"Amy, now!"

"I don't want to," she said grumpily. She hadn't realized that she was counting backwards. The Doctor remembered that he hadn't lied to her all that time ago. When she had been dying, he'd told her so instead of lying and saying she was just fine like River had. He had told her when she was walking blindly through a forest of Weeping Angels, though he regretted it soon after. But Amy could handle this. She was always so brave, even as a little girl with the weird crack in her wall that had voices coming out of it.

"Amy," he said, trying to steady his voice, "The Weeping Angels are back, the ones from before. That means the Angel in your mind is back, understand? Now, I know you probably haven't noticed yet, but you've been counting. We need to do what we did before and cut them off. Now _close your eyes_."

He didn't hear anything for a moment, just Amy's ragged breathing. She was scared and he knew it. She was scared of the Angels, of closing her eyes again and being all alone in the dark. "Amy, have you closed your eyes?"

"Yeah, they're closed," she replied, her voice small. The Doctor knew she wouldn't lie to him. Especially not about this. "Doctor, I'm scared."

"Don't be. I'm going to get in the TAR-" The Doctor was about to say that he was going toget in the TARDIS, but then he realized that the blue box was most certainly not there. The Doctor had just reached the end of the alleyway and all he felt was brick wall. The TARDIS was gone. He wanted to yell out in frustration, but he didn't want to frighten Amy, and shouting about something wasn't going to help at all. "I'm going to get the TARDIS and I will come back for you."

* * *

><p>Amy hung up the phone after she was through talking to the Doctor, shakily handing it to her husband. It was hard keeping her eyes closed and Amy couldn't believe that she was going through this again. She had been so scared last time and she didn't want to go through it again. "Rory," she murmured, "Stay close to me."<p>

"I will, but hold on," he replied, but then a sound from upstairs made Rory quickly look away from his wife. He really hoped that she hadn't heard anything. He didn't want to scare Amy any more than she already was and he could feel himself getting a little bit angry with the Doctor that he had told her in the first place. "I'm going to be right back. I think there's more candles upstairs."

She didn't like the sound of him leaving at all. How was she supposed to fight the Angels if she couldn't even see? But they were going to need more light if she wanted Rory to see… Amy decided she was just going to have to suck it up, then, and wait a few minutes by herself. "Fine, but hurry back."

Rory started up the stairs, and Amy listened carefully to his footsteps, reminding herself that she was not alone again. He listened closely, carrying a single candle down the dark hallway. They hadn't bothered to set up the upstairs with any lights. He went to a light switch and clicked it on, but nothing happened. "Amy, the power's out!" he called out.

"What? Rory, can you just get back down here? We have enough candles down here already."

"Hold on." He walked into the bedroom where he knew they kept some candles for the romantic lighting and all that, but then Rory felt something move behind him. He turned his head slowly back around, scanning the whole room for any sort of movement. Rory had only ever seen the Weeping Angels once, and that was back in the fake '80s hotel in Gibbis' room. Anything else he knew was what Amy had told him. When Rory turned to face forward and continue getting the candles, there it was. A baby angel statue with its lips puckered like it was blowing something out. The candle. "No!" he cried out, before Rory Williams was surrounded by darkness.

Amy's head popped up when she heard her husband. "Rory?" There was only silence. "Rory? Oi, Stupid Face! Answer me, please!" She didn't talk for a few more moments, the only sound in the house being her breathing. She remembered this feeling. Amy was alone in the dark. And there were Angels inside her home. She could feel tears well up in her eyes, knowing that her husband was gone. Either they had killed him or he was drifting somewhere in some random part of time. Either way, Amy had lost him. Again. And now there was no one here. She wanted to cry, to open her eyes and try to find him, but she knew that killing herself off would be of no help to the Doctor. He couldn't face the Weeping Angels on his own and even with her eyes closed, Amy knew she was better than nothing.

She didn't move from her position in the middle of the living room, slowly taking her cell phone off of the ground where Rory had left it, taking a few moments to blindly search for it. Amy made sure to stay quiet, to listen for any movement. If she heard something, Amy knew she would have to open her eyes. She quickly hit the redial button, the Doctor being her last call.

"Doctor?" she asked immediately, her voice low. Amy's voice was thick with the tears she'd been holding back and it was clear even through the phone that something was very, very wrong.

"Amy? What's happened? Have you opened your eyes?"

"It's Rory. He… He's gone," Amy whispered. And they weren't going to be able to get him back. He could be anywhere in history. How were they supposed to find him? Then there was the question that kept nagging at her. Would she be able to open her eyes ever again? Or would Amy have to adjust to the darkness? There was no crack in the wall to push them into now. This thing would always exist inside her, wouldn't it? "Doctor, please. I can't see anything, but I know there's something in here."

"I'm trying, Amelia, believe me I am," he sighed. The Doctor's voice sounded so very tired and so worried. And also sad. Because he, too, knew that finding Rory was pretty much a lost cause. The Doctor wasn't even sure if he'd be able to save the world, let alone that one man. "Just keep your eyes shut, alright? I'll be there as soon as I find the TARDIS."

"Wait," she said. Amy got up and started walking, knowing her surroundings well enough to not bump into anything. There was something, a light that she could see even through her eyelids, but it was different than the dull orange-y tone from the candles. It was a pure, glowing white. "Doctor, I think there might be something out there. There's some bright lights out the window," she went on, carefully touching the window in the kitchen, "It's burning through my eyelids."

"Amy, it doesn't matter. Just stay put and don't open your eyes."

"But what if the Angels come, Doctor? I won't be able to stop them if I can't see. What about Rory?"

"I'll try to get Rory back," he said desperately, "But I have to focus on getting you and I out of this alive first. Amy, London's already been done and finished and they are spreading. Now, there's a reason you're still alive. They could have gotten you by now, but they haven't."

"Why?"

"Not sure yet, but I think it has to do with me. Just let me fi-"

"_Three_."

"Amy, what did you just say?" the Doctor asked quickly, "You opened your eyes, didn't you?"

She didn't answer him at first, staring at what was across the street. Amy remembered just hours before when she had seen that thing across the street, the happiness it gave her. Now it only struck fear in the redhead. "Doctor, I think I found the TARDIS," she said in a low voice, not bothering to close her eyes, "It's right in front of the house."

"Close your eyes. _Now_." She did as she was told, and somehow, the Doctor knew she had listened. "Did you see any Angels around you?"

"No, but I know they're here," Amy breathed. Hot tears rolled down her face, being released like water from a broken dam when she'd opened them. And now Amy was having a hard time stopping. "Doctor, please come find me. Please."

"Amy, I'm on my way. Do you think you can get yourself to the TARDIS? You said the light is bright enough, didn't you? Try to get there."

"But what about the Angels?"

"I told you they're not killing you for a reason. They're holding back and it'll be much easier for me to save you if you're inside the TARDIS, understand? Now, go. I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

><p>The Doctor knew that Amy was by herself and that only drove him to move faster. But he still had to get out of a city filled with Angels. He also knew that there had to be some around Amy, too. It had been them that had taken and moved his TARDIS. He was sure of it. And the electronic store was only a distraction. "Angel Bob?"<p>

"Yes, sir?"

"Why did you move my TARDIS by Amy's house?" he asked. Though Angel Bob certainly wasn't on the Doctor's side, he had never once lied about anything. And he always answered his questions. "If you wanted to take it and feed off the energy, why put it in front of _her _home?"

"Because, sir. It's bait."

The Doctor's eyes widened. He looked quickly around the burning city for Angels. There were over a dozen now, watching him from the tops of buildings, but not moving any closer, surrounding him. Why weren't they killing him? Why hadn't they killed Amy? If they wanted revenge on the two so bad, then why weren't they dead yet? These Angels had grown stronger and weren't as weak as they had once been, when Father Octavian and his company, River, the Doctor, and Amy stumbled upon them. They should have had the pair by now, just like how they'd gotten rid of Rory. The Doctor shook his head. None of that mattered. What mattered was that the TARDIS was bait and he had just sent Amy after it. He quickly ran to a random car that had stopped in the road, the driver's window broken through. No doubt the Angels' fault for the damage. And the missing driver.

The key was still in the ignition and the Doctor hopped into the car, turning it on and looking at the mirror above him to see the Angels all standing behind the car. They'd increased in numbers and the Doctor was able to count at least sixteen. Each one had a hint of amusement in their gray eyes, or a quirk in their stone lips. They knew something and they weren't telling him. Was it already too late? Did he already lose his Amelia Pond?

Since all of London had been wiped out, there wasn't really any traffic or cops to pull the Time Lord over for speeding. He hopped out of the car to see Amy halfway to the TARDIS, her eyes closed and her arms outstretched and moving in half circles all around her to make sure of her surroundings. Her head jerked to the left at the sound of wheels screeching loudly in the road and he could see her jump a little. Until Amy rationalized that the Weeping Angels probably didn't need to drive to get around the place. "Doctor?" she asked as she heard the door slam shut, "Doctor, is that you?"

"It's me." He watched her shoulders drop slightly, like a huge weight had been lifted and Amy face grew a little bit less worried. But the fear and sadness were still there and he could see the streaks of tears running down her pale face. He tried to stay calm, not wanting to tell Amy what was so obvious to him. There were Angels all around them, encircling Amy. The ones that had been back in town behind his car had followed him here, only being able to stop when he looked up every once in a while in the mirror, but it wasn't like the Doctor could really drive like that. Not without crashing, anyways, and he had Amy to go and save.

"I couldn't get out of the house," she explained, and he could feel a bit of something guilty in her voice, like Amy blamed herself for not already being in the TARDIS, for Rory not being with her, but none of this was her fault, "I had to check for Rory… He wasn't there. I know it was stupid, okay? But I-"

"Amy, it's okay," he said calmly. How were they going to do this while being surrounded? The Doctor had to walk backwards towards the TARDIS and tried to keep all of them in sight. He dared not blink or look one straight in the eye. "I'm by the TARDIS now," he continued, his fingers brushing against the familiar blue wood, "Just follow my voice, alright? Follow the light."

"Hello? Doctor?" He and Amy both froze as Angel Bob's voice crackled on the walkie-talkie. Of course she recognized it right away. Amy never forgot his voice. "The Angels would like to remind you that we surround you. There's no way out."

"They're all around us?" Amy asked, panicked and trying her best not to shriek, "You could have mentioned that, you idiot!"

"I didn't want to make you nervous! But now that you know, maybe you could pick up the pace a little!" the Doctor retorted, looking quickly around him. Angel Bob was right. They were surrounded by a whole army of Weeping Angels.

"You won't be able to escape in time, sir," the man chimed in, "We will descend on you and your box before you are able to get away. You both will die. "

"Tell me you have a way out of this," Amy said, taking another careful step towards him, "You've got to have a clever way out of this. You always do."

Not this time. He wracked his brain for a way out, but the Doctor couldn't think of one. They couldn't run around this planet forever, not with Amy's eyes closed. What was he supposed to do? Angel Bob was absolutely right. No way would the Doctor be able to get into the ship and drive away before they were able to reach him and Amy, not if no one was looking at them. And he couldn't have Amy leave without him. She couldn't even drive the ship with her eyes clearly open. There was no way out.

Amy seemed to be thinking of all this too and had taken his silence as the answer. "Oh," she murmured, then spoke stronger, "Doctor, you have to leave me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Pond. We're not having this argument, so just keep walking."

But Amy stayed in the same place. "I won't be able to get out of here alive. You will. If I open my eyes, I'll still be able to buy you some time to get out of here. They won't be able to move, yeah?"

"Yes, but that's not what we're going to do," he replied tightly. This wasn't an option. No way was the Doctor going to make that selfish decision to leave Amy behind. He'd left her far too many times and he wasn't going to again, not like this. Not to killed. "Amy, get over here. Now."

"Doctor, I'm going to open my eyes," she went on, ignoring him, "I don't think I have a lot of time left, so you're going to have to hurry."

"Amelia Pond, you silly, mad girl," the Doctor said in a low voice, daring a glance over to her. She looked so scared. He could see right through her brave front. When he looked back at the Angels, he'd saw they moved in a few feet. The circle grew tighter around him and his companion. "I am not leaving you, you understand that?"

"I'm dead, either way, Doctor. You still have a chance," she sighed, "Besides, the universe needs you still. Leave me."

"No. I'm not going without you."

"An hour ago, I had to beg you to let me inside the TARDIS!"

"Amy-"

"I'm opening my eyes."

"No. You don't need to do this. I can still get us out of this! I can still come up with a pla-"

"Try to hurry up, okay? I don't want to die for nothing."

"Don't do this!" He took his eyes off the Weeping Angels and stared at Amy. He couldn't move. Not if he wanted them both to die.

"I've got to."

"I can still save us. You know I can. I always do, don't I? Quit being so stubborn!" The Doctor saw her take in a deep breath, Amy probably knowing this would be her last. "No! Amy, keep them closed! Please, I promise I'll get us out of this, Pond! I will! Please, I can't lose you."

"Goodbye, Doctor. I love you," Amy said solemnly, opening her eyes and staring right at the Doctor. They were so beautiful and green, glistening with tears, and the Time Lord couldn't take his eyes off her. But she was already turning away to look at the Angels, a little surprised at how much there were. She had to do this for him, for the man that was always protecting her. She had to do this for the universe, which would collapse without the Doctor there to save it.

"_Two."_

"Amy!" the Doctor cried out. He couldn't lose her, not Amy. She was the only one that he had never messed up. She was the one that had stuck with him through it all, had been there at some of his darkest hours. She was the one that had set him a place at her table for every meal for the last two years, waiting for him. She was the girl who waited, the girl who dreamed of stars. She was his mad, brilliant, impossible Amy Pond and the Doctor loved her. He saw her get weaker, and this time, he moved. He ran to her. She was barely over halfway across the street, but he lunged for her.

"_One_."

He felt his body hit hers and they both fell to the ground, the Doctor cushioning her fall and turning them over quickly. But he knew something was wrong. He knew the moment his body touched hers, when she'd gone limp in his arms. And now he was looking into those magical green eyes of Amy's that still looked so much alive. But he knew. He could no longer feel the beat of her heart in her hands, something that seemed too familiar, like he'd pressed his ear against her chest to hear that solitary night on more than one night in the bed they shared. But of course that wasn't true. It hadn't ever happened before and it never would. Because Amy Pond was dead.

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	18. Inside Their Dreamland

**Hey, guys! Hope the wait wasn't too long! But here's the chapter where everything gets answered for the most part. I also think this is the last chapter before we get into the main story line. This is kinda the last of our adventures. *le tear* But it's okay! BECAUSE SERIES 7 STARTS. LIKE ON THE 1ST. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT CAN'T DO MATH... THAT'S LIKE THREE EFFING DAYS FOR ME. WOOT WOOT. I swear I heard it was on the 25th, but I think I just got that confused with the US screening of the first episode :P **

**ANYWAYS. Let's do the usual rundown thing. This chapter was named after the same song as the other two. "What's This?" from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I don't own anything. Nothing. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So be aware of that. And... You have a chance at getting a sneak peek to the next chapter! ... By doing the tedious task of reviewing :P And, um... Yeah. That's pretty much it. **

**Enjoy!(: **

Amy felt a painful burst in her head just as the Doctor pushed her to the ground. And then everything went black, the pain went away, and Amy felt like she was dreaming. Was she dead? Was this it for her? She didn't like this feeling, of being aware that she was dead, afraid that the pitch dark was going to be her only friend for the rest of eternity. But then Amy felt a sudden warmth, much different from the temperature it had been outside her home. She could hear noises, familiar ones, but noises that didn't fit where she had last been. It was a stranger whirring, like from a machine and Amy could feel slight vibrations like from an engine.

It was then that all her senses came back. She could feel the cool, glass floor and before she had even tried to look, Amy knew where she was. Somehow, she was in the TARDIS. Her eyes fluttered open. More specifically, Amy was in the console room. On the floor. It was dark, which was strange seeing as it usually wasn't dark in here unless something was horribly wrong.

"Well, well," a very familiar voice said, "_That_ was quite a nail biter of an adventure, wasn't it? I was on the edge of my seat."

Amy sat up, blinking as her vision tried to get used to her surroundings. What was going on? She turned to her left, though, to one of the chairs next to the console, the one where the Doctor usually sat. Instead of the tall, lanky Time Lord with the messy mop of a hairdo, though, there was a short, older man whose reddish hair was growing thin. His clothes were dark but they most definitely resembled the Doctor's. And Amy instantly knew who it was. It was the Dream Lord.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Amy asked. Even though this thing was a part of the Doctor, she'd never liked him. Of course, there was real reason to. He was everything bad about the Doctor, every darkness that he hid behind a curtain made of smiles, fezzes, and amazing adventures.

"I should be asking you that question, Dearie," he replied, shrugging and hopping off the seat, "I live in his head, remember? Imagine my delight when I realized your Doctor and I had company. I just _had_ to come out of hiding. Couldn't miss this, now could I?"

"You're saying that was all a dream?" But Amy didn't even really need an answer, because then all the memories flooded back into her mind. She remembered that she had turned into a pile of goo and had been tricked by Madame Kovarian yet again as soon as River had told her that the Doctor hadn't really died. She remembered being back at Demon's Run, the Doctor telling her he loved her through the psychic paper, her choice to stay with him. She remembered adventures to Proonatha and being dumped into their giant bucket of slime, being chased down in Cardiff and meeting Jack, visiting the Owens, and being asked to marry the Exaltan prince. And, most specifically, Amy remembered that she wasn't really Amy and that she had a mission to carry out. "But-" she began, then stopped herself. Amy had cared, genuinely cared for him. She had _loved_ him. She'd said it and she'd meant it. But was that part of the dream? Or was that really herself.

"Honestly, I'm surprised the two of you didn't catch on sooner," the Dream Lord sighed, rolling his eyes, "Then again, you never know you're dreaming when you're dreaming. Things that shouldn't make sense _do_. Like those Weeping Angels that you're so afraid of coming back and the complete annihilation of London."

"Where is he?" Amy asked, standing up and walking over to the man, "Where's the Doctor, then?"

"Still in the other dream," he replied, then moved up to flick on the monitor, "He's still in the dream where you died."

The screen went fuzzy for a few moments before it set right and everything cleared. Amy moved closer to the screen, watching the scene unfold. She could feel tears prick her eyes and her mouth hung open as she watched.

* * *

><p>The Doctor could hear screaming, loud yells. It took him a minute or two to realize that they could only be his. He'd failed. Amy was dead. Tears rolled down his face and dropped onto her dead body, something that had been so full of life now empty and still. "Oh, Amy," he murmured, his hand brushing stray red strands out of her face, "Stubborn until the end. Why couldn't you just close your eyes?"<p>

He knew the reason why. Of course he did. She'd died for him, died to save the man who was always saving the universe. And that only made the Doctor feel worse. He looked up to look at the Weeping Angels, to yell at them. A growl was already ripping from his throat, but there was no one around him. The Angels were all gone. And suddenly, he realized what their revenge was. Angel Bob had said that they were using Amy against the Doctor and they really had. Because he wouldn't be able to forgive himself for this, for letting the Ponds die and not finding a way out of this for them. Living with the knowledge of this, with the added weight on his shoulders, was worse than any quick death they would have granted him.

But there still might be a way to save her. The Doctor was determined. He reached into his jacket pocket and scanned Amy's body, making sure not to let her out of his arms. When he flicked it back up to check the readings, his frown deepened and he threw the tool away from him. There was no sign of life in her. It was like Amy's body had just given out. There was nothing he could do. The Doctor pulled Amy closer and kissed her forehead, wishing she could so desperately do it to him, because he needed the comfort it brought him. He closed her eyes gently, trying to hold back the next flood of tears.

"Amy, I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice feeling raw, "I am so,_ so_ sorry… I should have stopped them. I should have had a way out. This is all my fault." The Doctor didn't say anything, as if he were waiting for Amy to respond, to tell him to shut up and stop blaming himself. He'd never seen her be quiet for so long, not even when she was asleep. She liked to mumble random nonsense throughout the night. But how did the Doctor know that? He blinked, but trying to pursue the memory only made his head hurt and he was a bit too preoccupied with the fact that Amy was dead in his arms and that the Angels were gone, probably off destroying the rest of the earth and feeding off all that potential energy.

"I should have told you sooner," he continued, knowing he was going to have to leave Amy behind soon. The Doctor wasn't going to let her death be in vain. She'd died to save the Doctor. She'd died to save all of time and space.

* * *

><p>Amy felt silent tears run down her cheeks, watching the Doctor in pain. She knew she should be able to face it, that she was going to see him much worse when the time came to it, but watching him cry over her dead body, seeing the Doctor so truly broken, frightened her. And it broke her heart. She turned angrily to the Dream Lord. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, "You're a part of him, aren't you? Even if you're the dark parts of him. Why are you subjecting yourself to this?"<p>

The Dream Lord didn't answer for a moment, looking at his fingers thoughtfully. She'd never seen him look so… Human-looking. But Amy knew that this must hurt him as much as it hurt the Doctor. He looked up at Amy and shrugged, frowning slightly. "He's trying to make a point," he finally replied.

"To?"

"Himself," the Dream Lord said, and by the way he said it, Amy knew she wasn't going to get much more out of him.

"So, you're just going to sit here and watch him suffer?" she asked, though she knew the Dream Lord probably had no trouble with this at all, with watching the destruction of the last Time Lord.

"That's what he wants, Amy. I didn't sneak out of the little, dark corner I was hiding in in the recesses of the Doctor's mind," he explained, "The old man _let_ me out. He _wants_ to play. And I _was_ getting ever so bored. You being here was just an added bonus."

"But how am I here, then?"

"The Doctor's slightly telepathic. You should know that. He planted that message in your head when you were stuck in the Pandorica, didn't he?" the Dream Lord reminded her, "To let me in, he opened up his mind. You must have slipped past, too. He won't like this, though, not at all." Then he smiled. "And that's why I'm having so much fun."

Amy didn't know whether the Dream Lord was the bad guy in this case or not. He was still the mischievous, creepy thing he was before, but the Doctor had chosen to do this. He'd chosen to put himself through this pain. But why? What was he trying to prove with all of this? She looked back up at the screen, watching the Doctor say goodbye to her dead body. He picked her up and carried her limp body into the TARDIS bridal-style, and laid her down gently on one of the lounge chairs in the console room.

"Wake him up," Amy said, looking back at the Dream Lord, "Please, wake him up. You can control this."

The Dream Lord grinned. "You know what he's going to do, don't you? What he's going to do to his precious, little planet." He paused, waiting for her to answer, but Amy was too busy trying to restrain herself from punching him in the face. "Weren't you the one that always told him not to let his emotions get in the way?"

* * *

><p>The Doctor glanced over at Amy's body, knowing it was foolish to wish that she would magically come back to life. He'd already wiped away the last of his tears, knowing that there was something else to do. He would have to save the tears for later. After he took revenge on the Weeping Angels. In this case, there was really only one thing to do. And though it would pain the Time Lord greatly, he knew that there was no other way. The Weeping Angels had left him with no other choice.<p>

They'd already overrun London and that had been in a matter of five minutes. They were probably all across the UK by now. Earth was done for. Everyone was dead and gone anyways. He kept coming up with thoughts like this to help him push through this, to make this final choice. If the Doctor didn't do this, the Angels would all just drift off and take over another planet. Like Angel Bob had said, Earth was only the first of many that they'd planned on taking over. And he had to do this for Amy. The only problem was… Would he be able to call himself 'the Doctor' anymore? Or would he have to go and find a new name, because doing what he was about to do was definitely not something a 'healing man' would do. The Doctor wanted to heal the universe. Instead he was killing the only planet he had ever truly loved other than his own. He was going to destroy Earth.

"It's times like these where you're supposed to tell me that this isn't 'how we roll,' Pond," the Doctor murmured, "And now look. I'm talking to myself again. Or, well, someone who's… Dead. I guess I really am just a lonely, old madman with a blue box, eh, Amy?"

He sighed, shutting his eyes closed for a second before his lip quirked into a deeper frown. He had to destroy these things while he could. The Doctor could feel the sadness from Amy's death slip to the back of his mind, promising to resurface when all was said and done. It was quickly replaced with rage and fury, anger. He opened his eyes back up and looked at his monitor, typing in a security virus that he'd send to every powerful country. _Silly humans and their need for nuclear weapons_. The Doctor knew that if he wiped out the whole Earth, if he destroyed that whole planet, then the Weeping Angels would be destroyed too. And the one thing the Doctor wanted at that moment, other than having Amy back, would be getting his revenge on the ones responsible.

The Doctor typed in the codes, his usually clumsy fingers now moving with perfected speed. He knew this was wrong. He knew this was something he never, ever thought he'd do. But there was no one to stop him this time. There was no one to tell the Doctor that what he was doing was wrong. That was Amy's job, the companion's, and now he didn't have anyone. Just his anger.

He got into each and every country's weaponry systems with ease and now he had them all poised and ready. The Doctor moved over to set in coordinates, to get himself out of the way so that the TARDIS wouldn't go down with the explosions. He set it so that it was right outside Earth, far enough so that his box wouldn't get singed with the soon-to-be-burning planet. And then he went right back to work. Everything was set. The code to activate every single nuclear bomb the humans had ever created on Earth would set off and it would be destroyed. The Doctor pulled up the image of Earth on his monitor. It was still beautiful as ever, no matter how badly its inhabitants had polluted the air. He looked at the planet fondly. It had always been his favorite. He had loved every single person on that planet and the Doctor had always promised that he would die saving them.

But he'd been too late. He'd failed to save Amy and Rory and by the time he was able to get a grip on their deaths, the world was already heading for hell. The Doctor realized now that he'd really let those two too close to his heart, especially her. He remembered why he'd always kept humans at arms-length, why he always tried to make sure that he never fell for them. Because they always left. And they broke his hearts every single time, whether it was intentional or not. The Doctor felt the tears build back up again, but he still had to do this. He reminded himself that this wasn't the Earth he knew and loved anymore. This was a planet filled with assassins that were going to take over the universe, that had killed his beautiful Amy.

His hand drifted over the key that would submit the key. Until he felt a violent shake. The Doctor was thrown onto Amy's chair and he held on tightly, not sure what was going on, but not wanting anything to disturb her body. He looked around the TARDIS, trying to figure out what it could be. Not the Angels. They needed to be able to breathe and the time machine was in outer space. Before he could try to piece it together, everything seemed to shake again and the Doctor thought he could hear a voice.

"Okay, that's not supposed to happen," he said, running over to the console after a few moments of peace. The Doctor looked down at his console, hands running lightly over the buttons and levers. "Come on, dear. Tell me what's going on."

Of course it didn't say anything back and the Doctor felt small tremors underneath. He braced himself for the next shake, which was calmer than the rest. He glanced back at Amy to see she hadn't fallen off the seat quite yet. Though she would if another violent one came along.

"_Doctor_!" a voice echoed through the halls and it sounded so murky, like he was underwater and it was something from above. But that didn't make sense. It sounded familiar, but the Time Lord couldn't identify it, not when it was so muffled.

"_Doctor! Please_!" He looked all around him, but he couldn't tell which direction the noise was coming from. It seemed like it was coming at him from everywhere. "_You can't do this! You have to wake up_!"

_Wake up_? The Doctor blinked. Suddenly, the voice was becoming clearer. Realization was hitting him. "Amy?" he murmured, his two hearts fluttering with hope. His head turned quickly to look at Amy's dead corpse, but it was gone. He sucked in a breath.

"_Get up, idiot_!"

The Doctor laughed, a combination of relief and happiness as he came to realize that none of this was real. Everything was rushing back to him, things that pointed out that this couldn't possibly be real. Rory was safe, Earth was populated by humans, Angel Bob and friends were still wiped from existence, and the Doctor wasn't being faced with the decision to destroy his planet. And greatest of all, Amy wasn't dead. She was his. And this was all a just a dream.

Then everything turned white as the Doctor finally woke up.

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	19. This Pain Is Just Too Real

**Hi, everyone! Sorry it might have taken a little while. School's started back up and it's my senior year, so I have to deal with all that. :P Plus the stress of being editor of the yearbook. So, if I take forever, don't think I'm abandoning the fics. I'm still writing away, I promise! ^_^ **

**Anyways, this is from the song 'My Immortal' by Evanescence. Which just gives me mad Doctor Who feels. Ooh. And who else is loving the new series? I think I like it better than Series 6 and we're only a few episodes in. :P I just love dark!Doctor.**

**Okay, so I own nothing. Obviously. And review to get a sneak peek to get the next chapter(: Thanks for reading, guys! Enjoy!**

"Are you alright?" Melody asked, looking a bit unsurely at her mother, who was hunched over a bucket. Her attitude towards the redhead had been cautious since her arrival, but that was understandable. After all the times she'd been left behind by her own parents, little Melody was entitled to more than just a little bit of resentment. It was hard to be angry with her, though, when Amy looked so pitiful.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, trying not to smell her own vomit. It would only set her off again. Her skin was paler than usual, and clammy. Amy felt like complete death and she hated every second she spent in this prison. She'd been stuck here for thirty-six days. _Thirty-six_. The only solace she got was being able to talk to Melody, but the girl hardly spoke to her for the first two weeks. In these last two weeks, they'd progressed to simple pleasantries and quick conversations. Still, it was her daughter and Amy enjoyed the time whether they bonded or not.

Amy dragged herself back up to her bed with a frown on her face, crossing her arms and leaning her head against the white wall. This room resembled the one she stayed in at Demon's Run, except for the large window that was now on the celling, which showed the Trenzaloran skies. It was closer to the sun than Earth was, so the climate was a little warmer and the sky was a bit brighter. It gave Amy headaches. Was there anything about this planet that she liked? "It's the food," she grumbled, "Bet they're slowly killing me."

"They're not all that bad," Melody defended. Amy knew she was only saying that because they'd tampered with that girl's memory far too much. She still didn't know what right and wrong were, but it wasn't like before, where Amy had tried helping change her. Melody still had resentment built up towards her mother, which was only being fed by her best friend. Eliza Manton hated Amy Pond more than anyone else in the universe, and the redhead knew it.

And as if Amy's thoughts had summoned her, the young soldier walked in, the doors sliding open. Eliza looked like her father so much, that it scared Amy. She had the same smooth, dark skin and steel cold, grey eyes. Even her tone was like her father's, precise and clear, though Amy was sure that that came with being a dedicated soldier in the Silence's army.

The girl regarded Amy with cool silence, but she could see the Eliza's hands curl into fists, that same flash of vengeance in her eyes that she always saw when she looked up to meet those grey eyes. Eliza never said anything outwardly vicious to Amy, probably for the sake of Melody, but it was clear that she wanted to avenge her father's death and she blamed the Scottish woman whole-heartedly.

"Perez said I am allowed to take you now, Melody," Eliza said. She only ever came for Melody after her training sessions were over and it was her break period. She was a little older than Melody, maybe fourteen or fifteen, but the two had grown up together, had been their only friend in a place like Demon's Run, so the four year age difference didn't really seem to matter to the two of them.

Melody smiled and looked over at her mother a little unsure. She felt bad for leaving her like this, but it wasn't like it'd been the first time. This had been going on for almost as long as Amy had been here. Of course, Eliza told Melody that she was just being dramatic, trying to make the guards feel guilty before she tried escaping again. Before she left her daughter again. "Okay," she nodded, standing up in her crisp white dress, her strawberry blonde hair pushed back with a white headband and looked at Amy, "I'll be back in a few hours-."

"Come on, Melody," Eliza cut in, obviously not liking the pity her friend was giving her cellmate, "It's not like she cares, anyways."

Amy felt irritation and anger flood her whole body. "Oi, you," she replied, starting to stand up, but feeling woozy from the effort. Her feet found balance, though, and Amy gave the girl a fierce look. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I have no idea what I'm talking about?" Eliza asked, a humorless smile spreading on her thin lips. Melody shifted uneasily. "If you cared about your daughter, you wouldn't have left her behind. You wouldn't have filled her head with lies and promised to come back. You didn't even go looking for her afterwards. You just went back to your _stupid_ Doctor."

"Wow," Amy laughed, putting her hands on her hips. She felt a little foolish fighting with a teenager, but it didn't matter. _Eliza_ was the one that was filling Melody's head with lies. "You actually believe everything they tell you, don't you?"

"I believe what my father told me," she returned and her whole demeanor seemed to change at the mention of him. Her body started to tense up and Amy was sure she was going to try and attack her. "And the last thing he told me before he was killed was that he was going to find you two and that selfish Time Lord of yours was going to die. And he will. If _she_ doesn't manage it, then_ I_ will. I'll kill him and make you watch. And then-."

"Stop!" Melody cried, her eyes looking calmly into Eliza's to stop her. They were met with her friend's, and the teenager exhaled deeply, her nostrils flaring. "Perez said you weren't allowed to fight with her, remember?"

Eliza looked down at her feet, knowing fully well that her orders from Perez meant she had to keep her hands off Amelia Pond and keep the guns away. Or else she would have been dead a long time ago. No, she was still needed for Plan C, if Perez's plans failed. That woman always had a plan, _always_. She was calculating, clever, organized, and a bit sadistic. It was why the Silence loved having her as one of their human operatives. Eliza, too, trusted her, especially since her father's death. Melody and Perez were the only two people she had left. So she would follow the orders no matter how difficult they were.

"Let's go play now," Melody suggested gently. She knew that Eliza would do what she said. Excluding her commanding officers, the little girl was the only one she would listen to. "Come on, Eliza. Madame Kovarian said if I was good in training today, they would let us play for longer."

Eliza sighed and nodded, leading the girl out, but not before casting one more angry glance Amy's way. It was clear what the message was. It was full of pure hatred and pleasure at knowing that her time was coming to an end. As soon as the TARDIS arrived.

Melody was still being trained, though she wasn't the sole focus anymore. Her timeline with the Silence wasn't at all linear, and they already knew about River Song and her failure to kill the Doctor. But Kovarian insisted her plan would work, that time could be rewritten and all they had to do was train Melody harder. So, they did. And Amy had to watch it, getting sick not only from the food, but also from how hardened her daughter was becoming. She had lost the fight to try and make her a normal girl. But this was Amy Pond. And she wasn't going to give up so easily.

She just wished the Doctor would hurry up and save her. Amy hadn't seen him in almost three months and she missed him way too much. She was miserable here and she could feel her body changing, growing weaker and weaker. Was she dying? No, Amy wouldn't let herself think like that. She had to stay strong. She had to wait for the Doctor to show up, to realize he was with the wrong Amy, to save the real one and Melody, and get them away from the Silence once and for all. She just had to wait a little longer… She just had to keep faith in her madman and remember that he _always_ came back.

* * *

><p>"Doctor, we should talk about this," Amy said for the billionth time. They'd landed somewhere, but she wasn't quite sure. It'd only been a couple hours since they'd gotten out of the dream worlds. She didn't know what had really happened there and she wanted to find out.<p>

"No time for talking, Pond!" the Doctor replied cheerfully, switching off the controls. He wasn't going to tell her what had happened in that dream. He was actually still a little angry with himself that he'd let his defenses down and let Amy in. But nightmares had been happening more than usual, ones that were much worse than what had happened just hours before. That could have been the reason why Amy had been let in, too. Though Time Lords didn't need as much sleep as humans, they still needed _some_, and the Doctor had barely gotten any. "We've got somewhere to be."

"You're not going to avoid the question by taking me to some magical place," she argued, not buying his act. She'd seen his face, the way he'd reacted to her dying. The Doctor had almost blown up an entire planet, killed all the humans. He had almost given up everything he believed in, had put himself through so much pain, and Amy didn't understand why the Doctor would have put himself through so much pain. "This is important, Doctor."

"You know what's important?" he asked, changing the subject, "Food. And I've had quite the craving for a home-cooked meal. So, I thought we might stop by a friend's house real quick. What do you say, Pond?"

Amy gave him an odd look as the Time Lord twirled around to the door, not following immediately like she usually did. She knew he wasn't going to tell her, though. Despite the fact that he always told her that he loved her, the Doctor still kept things to himself. He didn't reveal all his cards. But neither did she. She had her own secrets. The Doctor just grinned stupidly back at her, obviously trying to appear innocent. Or showing Amy that they were truly done with this discussion, that he'd already moved on to something else and didn't plan on going back to that. One of the first rules he'd told her as a little girl was to keep up and she listened. Amy would just have to bug him about this later.

"Well, are you going to tell me where we're going?" Amy asked, crossing her arms as she made her way down the steps. She stopped right by the Doctor in front of the white doors and looked at him expectantly.

"You know how you sort of hate surprises?"

"Only when they involve you and live birthday presents that are more or less carnivorous," Amy replied.

"That was _one_ time!" he sighed, "Will you let it go?"

"Nope. Not unless you tell me what we're doing."

"Nice try, but that's not going to work, Pond," the Doctor smiled. He was about to say something when someone who wasn't Amy interrupted him from the other side of the door. Well, Amy wouldn't need any more explanation on where they were.

"Craig!" the voice called. It was obviously nearby, "Craig, you might want to get some more plates!"

* * *

><p>"I'm a little scared, to be honest," Craig said at the dinner table just thirty minutes later, having not even touched his spaghetti Bolognese, "Nothing ever goes right when you're around."<p>

"Thanks, Craig," the Doctor replied, looking a little offended, "That hurts, especially coming from you. I thought we were partners!"

"_Please_ don't start that again."

Amy smiled across the table at Sophie. One of the last memories of real Amy was visiting the Owens and she felt just a tiny bit awkward. Would they notice? Would they see some sort of difference that she was even starting to question existed? Amy felt like she was real. She was, actually. The TARDIS had stabilized her. She was fully human. And if the Doctor couldn't see it, then surely Sophie and Craig wouldn't be able to. "So, how long has it been since we last, uh…" she began to ask.

"Three months," Sophie finished, taking a bite of her food, "We've started planning the wedding already. We've set the date and everything. I would have sent you an invitation, but… Well, we didn't really know how to reach you."

The redhead laughed lightly. "I'd give you his phone number, but he hardly answers it. I had to make crop circles back in my hometown just to get his attention."

"You mean the Leadworth crop circles?" Craig asked, "I saw that in the papers. I was wondering about it."

"Yeah, well, Amy really knows how to get a guy's attention," the Doctor joked, slurping up his noodles and getting pasta sauce all over his face. Amy looked over and shook her head. She still felt a little odd with that dream, how she seemed to have meant what she said when she told the Doctor she loved him. But that was only because she thought she was the real Amy, right? Of course. No. Amy refused to believe otherwise. "Hey, I've got something in the TARDIS that I'd like to show you real fast. A little souvenir, actually. I was thinking it could be an early wedding present?"

"But it's not for another six months!" Sophie replied, but it was clear that she was quite excited to see whatever it was that the Doctor had gotten them. Hopefully, it wasn't anything bad, like what Alfie could have gotten into when he was roaming about in the blue box.

As if reading his mother's mind, the baby gurgled from his high chair. He was almost too big for it and was starting to use actual phrases. Soon, the Doctor wouldn't have to translate for them anymore. The Doctor laughed. "No, I don't think so, Stormy. Last time you went into the TARDIS you caused a bit of a mess." Alfie made a whining sound. "Oh, hush. Maybe when you're older." There was a grunt for a reply. "Oi! No swearing at the dinner table! Or in general!"

"Great," Craig sighed, standing up from the table and scooting his chair in, "My son already has a potty mouth."

Everyone laughed as the Doctor followed, pushing his chair in and walking out of the kitchen and out the sliding glass doors where the TARDIS stood. Before he slid the back door shut, he smiled at Amy and Sophie. "We'll only be a moment, I promise."

There was something in the way he was acting that seemed a little off to Amy, like he had only stopped to reassure them because he was up to something. And, being the Doctor, he _was_ always up to something. She would have gone and investigated, but then Sophie started talking to her, distracting her. "Do you think you and the Doctor will make it to the wedding?" she asked, "Because Craig and I were thinking… Well, we'd really like it if you two were a part of it! I'd love to have you as a bridesmaid and I told Craig to ask about the Doctor being a groomsman."

Amy, who had been staring out at the blue phone box this whole time, looked at Sophie with a little bit of shock as her words began to sink in. Her? A bridesmaid? She liked Sophie well enough and considered her a friend, but Amy was sure that Sophie had other friends that were fighting to be a part of this wedding. The same probably went with Craig. Amy hadn't even been to a wedding since her own. Unless that quick one up on the top of an Egyptian pyramid between River and the Doctor really counted. "I don't know…"

"I understand why you might not want to," Sophie continued, "But I don't think this wedding would even be happening without the two of you. You especially, Amy. You're a very special girl and I'm sure the Doctor knows it."

She almost wanted to snort. That girl that helped Craig and Sophie get together was not the same girl that stood before her. This Amy kept secrets from people, people she loved. She would kill the Doctor, even now when she was feeling like this. While Amy wondered if she was just a carbon copy of the real thing, if she had any emotions or thoughts that were just her own, she also knew that there was something that set the real Amy and her apart. The other Amy always thought with her heart, but this one was programmed to think with her head. As far as Amy could tell, it was the only difference between the two. All of who she was what someone else already was or had made her out to be, though. "He better," Amy laughed, trying to sound more like herself. She'd have to lie to make Sophie feel better. It wasn't that Amy didn't want to go. She just didn't think it was right to be a bridesmaid when the only reason she was there was for putting them together, something this Amy most certainly didn't do. Plus, she was sure her mission would be done by then. "Look, I'll talk to the Doctor about it. I don't think he's really into the weddings. I've heard that he only comes for the dancing."

"He dances?" Sophie asked. She'd only ever seen the Doctor look the tiniest bit graceful, which was when he was playing on Craig's football team all that time ago. Every other time she saw him, though, he was gangly and awkward and dropped things.

"Horribly." The two women laughed and went on some more to talk about the wedding details. All Sophie had was her dress and the date planned, but she absolutely loved the white gown she'd picked. She'd even offered to show Amy after they'd finished eating, but then the Doctor and Craig came back in. Amy noticed that they came in empty-handed.

"Where's the wedding gift?" she asked, not even sure what it had been in the first place. The Doctor was always taking little things from planets, begging when she told him no, his reason being that whatever it was, it was 'cool.'

The Time Lord shrugged, his eyes completely passing over her as he went and finished his pasta, knowing that Sophie had already rinsed and finished hers and Amy's dishes. She was almost already done cleaning off Alfie. "Couldn't find it," he answered, his mouth full of spaghetti. The Doctor looked up and saw her suspicious look. "We'll have to look around for it and check up with them later."

Amy looked over at Craig, who also was looking a little bit too closely at his plate. She turned back to the Doctor. What were those two up to? If Craig was involved, it couldn't be_ too_ diabolical, right? He only ever seemed to accidentally fall into the Doctor's schemes, never volunteering. She was interrupted again when Craig said he'd told the Doctor about becoming a groomsman. Amy watched the Time Lord beam. He was obviously pretty excited to be a part of this wedding, meaning they were definitely going.

"I was just about to show Amy my wedding dress, actually," Sophie said excitedly.

"Oh!" the Doctor grinned, clapping his hands together. For some reason, his grin didn't seem to be as happy and full as it usually was. There was something a bit fake in it. "Well, isn't that great? Amy, why don't you and Sophie go discuss wedding dresses and flowers and cute boys while Craig and I put Alfie to sleep?"

"Doctor, may I remind you of how successful you were the last time you put him to sleep?" Amy replied, putting a hand on her hips. There was definitely something up. She saw Craig take Alfie from Sophie and head up the stairs without saying a word and not looking up to see Amy's face. She saw his fiancée frown, who was just starting to realize the odd behavior.

"Well, practice makes perfect, right?" he pointed out, his tone easy and relaxed. But Amy could still see it now in his eyes, this wall that he had built up. Usually the Doctor's green eyes were so magical and old, conveying every little emotion he had so strongly. This wasn't the case now, though. "Go on, Pond. We'll leave in a little bit. Gotta get the bonding time with the Owens."

"You are_ so _up to something," Amy accused, narrowing her eyes, "You think I'm really that stupid?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Amy."

She stood there in front of him for a couple minutes saying nothing, just searching his eyes for some sort of giveaway. But there were none. Amy sighed and shook her head. "Fine, but we're talking about this later. And that dream."

"Right. Later," the Doctor smiled, obviously pleased he had won, "Sounds like a plan, Pond."

"I mean it," she persisted, walking up the stairs. Amy heard the crinkling of paper as she hit the first landing, but she really didn't process it. Or the sound of the back door. She was already upstairs and halfway down the hall to Sophie's room when she heard it. And then Amy knew why he'd been acting suspicious, why he'd taken Craig away from the dinner table. He was asking him for a favor. He was asking him to babysit Amy, maybe even return her to Rory.

As the sounds of the TARDIS filled the air, Amy bolted down the stairs, running as fast as she could. She saw the blue box just starting to fade when she opened the sliding glass doors. "Doctor!" This couldn't be happening. He couldn't seriously be leaving her. Where was he going? Was he coming back? What about her mission? "Doctor! You better open that bloody door! You can't do this!" He never opened the door, though. Amy kept hitting the blue wood over and over, trying to open the door by yanking on it as hard as she could, sure she was going to break the TARDIS' handle. But it didn't budge. She was locked out, and soon her fists were falling into open air.

Amy fell to her knees, but she didn't cry. She wouldn't. Her chest was heaving as she panted from the running and the punching. Thoughts raced through her mind. Why had he left her? What had she done? This couldn't be goodbye, could it? No… After everything they'd been through, Amy knew he would have given her a proper goodbye. She also found something else she had in common with the real Amy. The worst thing she could ever feel was the pain and loneliness, the despair that came with seeing that blue phone booth leaving without her.

She wasn't sure how long she was sitting out there, but the night air was starting to give her chills and Amy went inside. Craig and Sophie were both in the kitchen, watching the redhead cautiously. Sophie offered her a cup of tea. Amy nodded and took the mug, but she didn't take a drink from it, not yet. Instead she just sat there, staring blankly at the counter. Then, from the corner of her eye, Amy saw the Doctor's handwriting. The rustling of paper. He'd left her a note.

Amy took the paper immediately. It said _Pond_ on the front and was folded into eight squares. She unfolded it immediately .

_ Amy – _

_I have to take care of something. I have to go someplace. I've known I had to go there for the longest time and I can't just keep putting it off. But I won't take you with me. It's too dangerous and I won't risk losing you, got it? _

_Behave for the Owens, will you? Don't wander off. And don't worry about me. I'll be okay. I'm always okay, remember? I'll be back for you as soon as I can. Just do what you do best and wait for me. _

_ - Doctor _

_P.S. Oh! And I love you, Amy Pond. Almost forgot that bit!_

She stared at the paper for a few moments longer before folding it back up and taking a drink of her tea calmly, trying to appear normal to Craig and Sophie. Another thing she had in common with real Amy? She never listened.

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	20. What We Used to Be

**Hey! Look who's back! I wouldn't have taken so long on the chapter, except that there was a lot to cover and I didn't know exactly where I wanted this chapter to end. But... I think I picked a pretty decent spot(; **

***SIGH* So, the Ponds are officially gone! I cried 'til I could cry no more and that is NOT an exaggeration! The only reason I'm still managing to cope is my defense mechanism not to think about it. Also, I'm pretending it never happened and that my fic, where Amy is still alive, is totally canon xD **

**This chapter title is from the song "Pictures of You" by The Last Goodnight. It kinda relates... You'll see by the end that Amy and the Doctor both get surprised with something (or someONE) from their past. Review to get a sneak peek and remember that I own absolutely nothing! Enjoy!(:**

Rory Williams hadn't been having the best few months. It was just four months ago that his wife had left him to continue traveling, had chosen the Doctor over him. But he said he would wait for her. He always would. He was the Boy Who Waited 2,000 years, and Rory refused to lose hope. It was just so hard, though. Their family knew about the Doctor for the most part, so they didn't question the fact that she was gone. They just wondered why Rory wasn't with her, why he had come home and she hadn't. But he didn't tell them the real reason, that Amy wasn't ready to grow old with him quite yet. He couldn't. It hurt too much to admit.

That's why he threw himself into his work. Rory was a great nurse, and now that the Doctor wasn't coming in and out of his life, he was able to make plans, _actual_ plans. Rory couldn't believe how amazing he'd felt after he'd agreed to work full time at the hospital. As he laid in bed that night, he only wished that there was someone lying next to him that he could talk to about it. He wished that person was Amy. His mum, who'd never really liked Amy, had told Rory time and time again that he should just find someone new, that Amy obviously wasn't coming back for him. She was gone, and Mrs. Williams was already pressing Helen Gibbard on her son. He'd known Helen since they were kids. She'd even been invited to the wedding, but Amy had always insisted that she fancied Rory, an observation he never took seriously.

He was thinking about this as he strolled through the park one day, a sandwich in hand. It was Rory's day off and he'd decided he needed to get out of the house for once. But he didn't feel like calling someone up. Maybe some alone time would do him some good. He still had so much to think about. Should Rory really give up on Amy? It felt wrong even considering it, but it didn't seem like she was coming back. Either she wasn't ready still, or something had happened to her. Rory's stomach twisted at the thought of it. Surely, the Doctor would have the decency to tell him if that happened. Even if it meant Rory trying to kill him.

Rory walked by the duck pond and tossed his sandwich in a nearby bin, deciding he really didn't have an appetite anyways. He was almost through the park and about ready to turn around when he heard a familiar laugh. It was loud and obnoxious, absolutely contagious, and it made his heart skip a beat. He glanced around the park, looking for that spark of red hair flash. Could he be hallucinating? Was it really getting this bad? Or had Amy actually come back for him? He started running, just running through the park in the direction of that laugh that Rory Williams could recognize anywhere. People looked at him oddly as he ran, but he didn't care. He had to find her. He'd promised that he always would, hadn't he?

And that's when he saw her, though Rory felt rather confused. She was playing in the shade of a willow tree with a baby and larger, blonde man. This couldn't be what he thought it was, right? Time wasn't messing him up. It wasn't possible that the Doctor had dropped off Amy too early and that she had decided to start a family with someone else, right? He almost wanted to withdraw before Rory embarrassed himself, but then another woman came over and sat down next to the man, resting her head on his shoulder and watching Amy play with the kid. Okay, so he'd been overreacting. It wasn't like that was the first time.

"Amy?" he called out, walking towards the group. The three looked over and he saw something cross Amy's brown eyes, though he wasn't able to name it. There was definitely shock there. Of course there was. Rory even saw the flash of guilt, making his heart seem even heavier. then her eyes widened with something that looked like hope and Rory couldn't help but smile at her. But what was that other thing that he'd seen? It'd almost looked like _fear_.

"Rory?" she smiled, handing the baby over to Sophie carefully, before standing up and running over to him. Oh, how could he have even thought about giving up on her?

* * *

><p>The Doctor had had a hard time leaving Amy behind, but he knew it was for the best. There was something wrong, something <em>very <em>wrong, but he didn't know what. It had happened during the dream they'd shared just a week before. While Amy got to watch the Doctor's dreams, the Doctor saw a piece of Amy's. It was towards the beginning of the dream, which was what had alerted the Dream Lord of her presence. It had been hard to remember at first, but he remembered as soon as he was at Craig's.

It was Amy in the same white garb that she wore at Demon's Run in a room very much like the one he and Rory had found her in on that ship. Except he had a feeling that this was a different place. The vision had been momentary, just a quick flash before his subconscious took over both of their minds. But once the Doctor remembered, he couldn't get it out of his head. It was crystal clear and he saw every ounce of pain she was feeling, every shred of loneliness and sadness and despair. She was so pale, too, almost blending in with the room, and she looked so weak. It broke his hearts. But what did it mean? Was Amy having nightmares of being captured by the Silence? Or did it mean more? It was hard to say, really. She never did make any sense, after all. Amy had grown up with the universe pouring into her head. Figuring out Amy was impossible, even for the Doctor.

He sighed and leaned against the console. It had been a long week, but he was finally done making his rounds. The Doctor knew what would happen at Trenzalore. 'At the fall of the Eleventh' only meant one thing. So, it was time for a goodbye tour. He'd gone back to help George's parents deal with that little puberty problem, helped Queen Nefertiti deal with an alien invasion in ancient Egypt, even gone back to visit River one last time.

Their timelines had been completely matched up and River just seemed so happy that he finally knew who she was. She'd had to deal with the earlier versions before and even she said that the stupid look on his face he gave her when she outsmarted him _still _didn't make up for the emptiness in his eyes. The Doctor took her to the last place he really wanted to take her, but he knew it was time to say goodbye. He was leaving and so was she. The days of River Song and the Doctor were coming to an end, though he'd known that since the very beginning.

Still, he hadn't been able to stop his tears as they stood atop the Singing Towers. River was beautiful, smart, independent, feisty, and he had loved her so much. But not like Amy. Maybe in another universe, where their timelines weren't so jumbled, where they didn't have to spend half their time together just trying to figure out how much one person knew the other. But that wasn't how things had ended up happening. Still, she was an amazing woman and it made his hearts ache knowing that River's time was coming up.

The Doctor blinked, trying to break himself out of it. He was still wearing the new suit he'd bought just for the occasion and took off his hat, smoothing out his new haircut, as well. He'd been such a lousy husband to her. It was only fair that the Doctor gIve River the best goodbye he could. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning against the console and pinching the bridge of his nose. He tried not to think about how Amy could very well end up like her daughter. Rory's words echoed in his head, both the foretelling of her death and when he'd said that the Doctor always made people try to impress him by doing dangerous things.

He shook his head. He had to get out of this time machine soon and talk to someone before he went crazy. He never could stand the sound of his own voice or thoughts for very long. But now that the Doctor had made all the last stops he wanted to make, there was only one last place to go before he finally went to Trenzalore and stopped the Silence once and for all. They would fall just like he would. Of course, the Doctor was hoping a regeneration could save him, seeing as he _had _promised Amy that he would come back for her. Because he always came back. There was just this last place to go…

* * *

><p>Amy couldn't believe that Rory was sitting across the table from her at this fancy Italian restaurant. She couldn't believe that she'd agreed to this, that Sophie and Craig had, as well. Then again… What were they supposed to say? The two were just so shocked when the strange, skinny man introduced himself as Amy's <em>husband<em>. She'd seen the judgment in their eyes, their opinions of the Doctor and herself quickly starting to come to question. They were obviously just beginning to understand just how complicated this pair was. So, they'd let her go out on this dinner date with Rory Williams, the boy that had waited for her for 2,000 years. The man who was still waiting for her to be ready and come back to live the life he dreamed for them. But this wasn't his Amy. She was never meant to live this life with him and she was dreading the bit where she was going to have to show her true intentions on coming to this dinner with him.

It was a nice place. Rory had insisted on taking her somewhere special, saying that he finally had the money to take _his wife _someplace a little spendy now that he'd gone full-time. Amy smiled, a bit happy that he was finally settling down here on Earth. Though it was clear that he hadn't exactly moved on from her, the motion of getting the job meant that he most definitely had moved on from his life with the Doctor. Now, if only Rory could realize that that was the only life Amy Pond ever wanted. Even this one preferred the traveling, already going crazy in the four days she'd spent with the Owens. They were pleasant enough, but it was routine, which was something Amy wasn't quite used to anymore.

"One of the nurses recommended this place," Rory said, watching Amy look around at the deep wine red of the walls, the dark wooden furniture, and the dim lighting. It was a small restaurant, but it had class, and Amy knew that whatever she got was going to be authentic Italian, and top-notch. "I haven't exactly had anyone to take here, though."

Amy looked right into his eyes. "Rory…"

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," he sighed, looking down at his glass of red wine, then back up at the redhead nervously, "I just… I missed you, Amy. So much. I knew you would come back and I just had this plan in my head where everything was going to be perfect for you when you finally did."

She smiled softly. Amy really did love Rory… And she would love to be with him. But she could never live the life that he wanted. Even this version of Amy knew that if she was given the choice, she would have chosen the life with the Doctor again. It was just that he filled her hunger for adventure and excitement. He was everlasting and never aging, never growing up. Amy was always afraid of growing up, but that was something that Rory had looked forward to, even when he was a kid. He'd always wanted kids and a wife. He'd always looked forward to being old on a porch with the woman he loved, their grandchildren running about. And Amy couldn't find it in her to even try to understand how he could want that.

"You don't need to impress me, Rory," she said, lacing her fingers together in front of her on the table, "It's not like this is our first date or something."

Rory wanted to tell her that he did indeed have to impress her, to show her that he was the right choice. She had chosen him once before, in a dream world where he was already gone. Surely, he didn't just have to die for her to choose him, right? But he didn't say that. He just smiled. The waiter came by with the food, giving Amy her lobster ravioli and Rory his fettucine alfredo. Amy had already started in on her plate, which was quite delicious, but Rory continued to look at her, his fork poised to stab at the pasta, but not finishing the movement.

Amy looked up, brushing her red hair back behind her shoulders to keep them out of the food. She arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," he said with a shake of his head, smiling to himself a bit. Rory began to twirl the noodles around his fork, "I'm just happy, is all… I love you."

She didn't respond for a moment. Whenever Amy had told the Doctor that she loved him, she felt herself questioning it. Because she knew that she shouldn't mean it, but a part of her felt like she did. With Rory… It was different. She did love him. Even this copy. It was hard not to admire what a great guy Rory was, but she still had that feeling deep down that, though Rory was in love with her and perfect in every single way, Amy just didn't belong with him. Still, Amy was able to respond back with pure honesty. "I love you too, Rory."

He let out a breath that neither realized he'd been holding. Rory tried to shut out his insecurities and let himself believe her words. He would be able to recognize if Amy was lying. He'd known her almost his whole life, longer than the Doctor had, anyways. "I can make you love being here. You know I can," Rory said, watching Amy take another bite, "You know I would do anything to make you happy, Amy."

Amy knew that Rory realized that she hadn't exactly chosen him. And he was still trying to sell the Earth life to her, but even the real Amy had been seriously doubting whether or not she even counted as a citizen of Earth anymore. It seemed more like she was a citizen to the TARDIS. Even though she felt a little bad about it, Amy realized that this was the moment she had to jump and ask. He wouldn't deny her. This was Rory and he would do anything for Amy.

"You mean that?" she asked innocently, taking a sip of her wine and composing her face so that it was portraying how touched she was by Rory's words.

"Of course," he nodded, "If you need something, Amy, you know I am always there for you."

She smiled and Rory caught a look in her eye. He realized he'd just accidentally signed up for something that may or may not be life-threatening. "Oh, no… No! I hate it when you trap me into things like this," he sighed, seeing that this attempt at a date was now over. Because Amy was definitely going to ask him to do something dangerous right about now and he had a feeling it was going to involve the Doctor. He tried not to let it show how sad he really was that he wasn't able to convince his wife to stay. But maybe if Rory could do this one last task… Eh. Maybe. He had a feeling it might be a big one.

"You know me a little too well," Amy laughed lightly, trying to ease the conversation.

"It's called being married," Rory replied with a roll of his eyes. He took a large gulp of his wine. "Now, come on. What is it?"

"Okay, Rory," she said, her voice serious. Of course Amy hadn't just been sitting back and not doing any planning at all. She hadn't expected Rory to come and see her at the park, but now she was taking this to her advantage. There was only one thing Amy needed to find where the Doctor was at and stop him before it was too late. "I need your help stealing a vortex manipulator."

* * *

><p>The Doctor had a bit of trouble landing at the first location he set and he wasn't even a tiny bit surprised at that. The old girl wasn't liking what he was asking her to do and she was listening to her instincts by running away from it. So, after a few tries, he was forced to park a little bit away. The Doctor sat in the console room, letting out a deep breath. This was it. This was the final stop before he went off to his death.<p>

Moments later, when he made his way to the door and threw them open, the man that he had come to see was already walking over. He smiled and gave the Doctor a broad grin, his hands stuff into the pockets of his long coat. The Time Lord felt his stomach churn, both those were just his own instincts. Oh, how badly he wanted to run. "Jack Harkness!"

"Doctor!" Jack laughed, stopping just a foot away from him, "Saw you were trying to get into the Torchwood labs. Didn't work, huh?"

"Well, it's not exactly _my _fault," he replied, then patted the TARDIS fondly, "The old girl just doesn't seem to like you very much anymore."

"Give me twenty minutes with her and I promise I can change her mind."

"Are you actually flirting with my time machine?" the Doctor asked, incredulously. Of course it would be Jack to flirt with something that most of his companions considered an inanimate object.

"Don't act like you haven't done it," Jack retorted, crossing his arms. He peered over the Doctor's shoulders, looking at the doors expectantly, then cocked an eyebrow. "Where's Little Red?" The Doctor shifted uncomfortably, and Jack noticed. Of course, he thought of the worst. It wasn't the first time the Doctor would have lost a companion, and certainly not the first time he lost someone he really loved. Jack cleared his throat awkwardly. Maybe now wasn't the best time to announce the surprise that he had waiting for the Doctor. Sure, it might cheer him up initially, but the moments afterward might be a little weird and heartbreaking in itself.

The Doctor seemed to realize what Jack had started to think. "No, no!" he rushed to explain, "I just dropped her off someplace to visit old friends. Amy's fine, alive and well." And he was going to keep her that way. Him and Jack started walking towards the piece of sidewalk outside of the _, where the hidden entrance to the Torchwood offices were, hidden by a perception filter. "Have you made any progress on that little favor I asked of you?"

"That 'Trenzalore' thing?" Jack asked, then shrugged as they reached the sidewalk. He should really warn the Doctor of something before they went down into the base. "I've been working with Martha and the rest of my team for the past few months on it. We've managed to get some information, but not much, Doctor. It doesn't help that you gave me no reason or anything, just a name."

"Well, I might be able to change that, Jack," the Doctor smiled, "I've got coordinates. Now, why don't we go down and compare notes? I've missed Martha, and I really have always wanted to see what the Torchwood base looks like. Could never resist a secret base!"

Jack laughed, then looked quickly down at his feet. How was he supposed to say this? "Well, Martha's definitely down there, but…"

"Don't tell me they have a rule about letting me down there," the Doctor interrupted, "Besides, when were you the type to start following the rules, Captain?" He knew that the Torchwood team was mainly assembled because of his little meeting with Queen Victoria, but he didn't think that Jack would really mind breaking such a stupid rule. It wasn't _his _fault that all that had happened with the Queen. Actually, he'd saved the day. Like he always did. Maybe him and Rose shouldn't have tried so hard to get her to say she wasn't amused…

The Doctor hopped up onto the pavement and Jack followed, sighing. Maybe having it be a surprise might be better. The lift took them down to the labs and the Doctor grinned when he saw a pterodactyl fly past them. He hadn't seen one of those in a while. He looked at everything around him, the waterfall, the sliding door, the offices and the cool gadgets all lying about. Jack was right. This wasn't like the Torchwood offices that the Time Lord had seen back in Canary Wharf. He was really doing something with this place and he approved. He looked over at Jack, who seemed to be able to read what the Doctor was saying, because he smiled back proudly. But there was something in his blue eyes… It was fake, like he was hiding something.

As the lift finally reached the floor, the Doctor finally realized exactly what Jack hadn't gotten around to saying. His eyes widened as he heard an all-too-familiar voice and met all-too-familiar green eyes. This couldn't be happening. "Doctor?" the woman asked. She sounded confused, but that was understandable. She hadn't exactly seen him since his last regeneration. But she also sounded absolutely ecstatic and he could feel her excitement coming off her in waves.

And the Doctor couldn't help but reciprocate the same feelings. "Rose?"

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	21. Take All the Courage You Have Left

**Hey guys! I really meant to post earlier, but I kinda forgot... And then I remembered! But then I also remembered that the 29th of October just happens to be the day that I started watching Doctor Who! So, I decided to wait a couple days longer and post NOW! BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A YEAR! **

**A lot has happened. I've met so many great people, realized that I wanted to write as my profession, and.. I don't know(: I love this Whovian world that I stumbled into. It seems like it's only been a couple weeks since I perused through On Demand and saw Doctor Who, remembering one of my friends talking about it, then started watching earliest episode they had, "The Eleventh Hour." ****I just want to say that I'm so glad that I decided to watch it, that I was able to talk to all of you(: You're all freaking awesome. **

**Now, since I hate being such a cheeseball, LET'S GET BACK TO BUSINESS. This title is from the song "Little Lion Man" by Mumford and Sons. Not sure about the relevance, mainly because I'm too tired right now, but the title fits. And... I just love this song?**

**Remember that I own absolutely nothing! And if you review, you get a sneak peek(: Okay, guys. Long A/N over. FallOutGrl02 OUT! Enjoy!**

"You look so… Different." Of course, it wasn't the first time Rose had had to see the Doctor with a new face. Still, this one was so much younger-looking than the man she had fallen in love with. Rose tried to, again, wrap her head around the idea that he still _was _the man she knew and loved.

"Different is…?" the Doctor trailed off, looking at her unsurely. A million thoughts were running through his head. What was Rose doing here? How? Why hadn't Jack warned him?

"Good," Rose answered, grinning and pulling the Doctor into a tight hug, "Absolutely brilliant! Oh, I missed you so much!"

He returned the embrace and looked over the blonde's shoulder to Jack, who just shrugged and walked away, his hands in his pockets. He thought it might be best to let the two have their moment, not to mention he had something else to take care of. "I missed you too, Rose," the Doctor returned, but then pulled away, "But as much as I love all the hugging and missing, what are you doing here? How…?"

Rose chuckled softly, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked down at the ground then back up at the man across from her. This time, her eyes were filled with worry. "We got a message a while back from some distress beacon… It was asking for people to help, you specifically, Doctor."

The Doctor frowned. River's message. But that was during a timeline that had never existed… He had stopped all that, hadn't he? No… Maybe not. She had fixed it to send outside of their timeline just moments before he died. And all he had re-rewritten was how he'd died. The Doctor realized he hadn't managed to save himself the humiliation that his future wife had caused. His cheeks burned, embarrassed that the universe had seen their one savior in a moment of weakness, completely helpless.

"We tried to get here as soon as we could," Rose continued, "It took a while, but we found a way. I thought… Well, I thought I was too late. So, we went to Jack and he said that you were fine, that you'd survived. We've been waiting here for you ever since."

"How did you know I was coming back?" he asked, still looking at the ground to hide his blush. The instant that the question left his mouth, a Scottish voiced filled his voice. _Because you always come back, Stupid. _

Rose had a different answer. "You were looking for information. That's why you're here now, isn't it?"

The Doctor felt his lip quirk. She knew him too well. "Yes, but… I can't get you involved with this, Rose. It's too dange-"

"Oi" she broke in, "You're not seriously trying to talk me out of this, are you? Doctor, I've fought Cybermen and Daleks, faced a werewolf and hijacked the bloody TARDIS once."

"I know, but-"

"You're not going to scare me off."

He opened his mouth to protest, but Rose gave him a warning look that made the Time Lord close it and smile, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "Rose Tyler…" he sighed, then thought of something. The Doctor's eyes widened. "You said '_we _found a way.' Who's _we_?"

Before Rose had the chance to answer, footsteps came up from behind the Doctor, pulling up alongside the blonde. He found himself grinning at the person that had just showed up, who quickly returned it. Everything about the newest addition to the conversation was so familiar. The blue, pin-striped suit, the sparkling, brown eyes, the spiky, gravity-defying hair. It was the Meta-crisis Doctor, John. He waggled his fingers at the Time Lord. "Miss me?"

* * *

><p>"So, how are we doing this?" Rory asked. He stared up at the large building in front of them, unsure of why Amy had made him drive all the way to Cardiff.<p>

She stared at the famous building, the Millenium Centre, trying to figure out how the hell this was going to work. Amy had already thought about calling Perez, but that meant telling her bosses that she had failed her mission, the punishment being instant termination. And Amy definitely didn't want that. But how was she going to break into Torchwood? The only things she'd heard about it were from Jack, and Amy had the feeling that this was a very high-security organization. Even with her programming, it would be tricky.

"Don't know," she answered simply and honestly.

"We're just going to wait out here, then?" Rory persisted. He still couldn't believe he'd been dragged into this world again. Amy always knew how to rope him in, though.

Amy shrugged, turning to Rory. "Why not? Look how far it's gotten me before." They were the Boy and Girl Who Waited, after all.

She knew Rory wouldn't like the plan, or lack thereof, but getting in was the only step Amy hadn't thought about. She always had the TARDIS or the Doctor's "sonic-and-entering" to rely on, and now she had neither. She tried not to dwell on that too much, though, and really didn't have much time to.

"Little Red?" a voice laughed. Amy instantly recognized the American accent and grinned. Her and Rory turned around to meet Captain Jack Harkness' blue eyes and charming smile. There was something about it, though, that bothered Amy. It seemed a bit fixed. She saw his eyes move to Rory. "And if it isn't Nurse Boy! You know, I've still got that little fantasy of mine if you'll reconsider."

"Is he flirting with me?" Rory asked, though he knew the real question should be why this stranger was acting like they knew each other, when he'd never seen him in his life. His wife was just as confused. Was she missing memories? Had these two men actually met? Something in Amy told herself to just go with it and she elbowed Rory slightly, hoping he would get the hint. Subtlety was never his strong point, though.

"Yes, I definitely think he is flirting with my husband right in front of me," Amy smiled.

"Never said you weren't invited to join the fantasy party, Red," Jack replid with a mischievous glint in his eye, the same one that always made Amy wonder whether he was kidding or not with his innuendos. "Don't act like you're not into that sort of thing."

Rory just watched the two, confused on what to do. Amy just smiled back, laughing, and coming up with another funny retort. This seemed to go on for a couple minutes and he had no idea how to break into the conversation to get back to business, all the while wondering if there was someone who _wouldn't _flirt with his wife when he was standing next to her. The only consolation Rory got was the fact that Jack was flirting with him too, which maybe meant he just liked to joke around and was completely harmless.

"You guys wanna see inside?" Jack asked, breaking Rory from his observations.

"I don't know…" he repied, sort of wanting to leave. He still didn't know of Amy even had a plan at all.

"Oh my God, yeah!" the redhead answered simultaneously with her husband. She turned and glared at Rory, who sighed and rolled his eyes before eventually nodding.

Jack chuckled, but his eyes seemed to grow sad. "Nice to see you two haven't changed. So, shall we start the tour?"

* * *

><p>"There's more like us, Doctor," Rose said. The three were sitting at a desk, Jack and his Torchoow team off in the med lab or something. "That distress beacon was able to go through the void."<p>

"I didn't even think that was possible!" John chimed in, pushing up the rectangular frames that he'd put on to show he was in "thinking mode."

Well," the Doctor said with a slight roll of his eyes, "That's River Song for you."

John's eyes widened slightly, recalling memories that weren't necessarily his, ones with a blonde, curly-haired professor in an all-too-quiet library. "You mean…" The Doctor responded with a small smile and a single nod. "No! You've got to be joking!"

"Afraid not." The Doctor tried not to think about that day in the Library, or his most recent visit with River at the Singing Towers.

"Wait, hold on," Rose said, confused still, "Who's River Song?"

"Uh, well," the Doctor began, scratching the back of his neck nervously. It was a question he had once asked himself a million times a day, but now he knew. Still… It was all timey-wimey and very hard to explain. So, he went with the shortest answer he could think of. "That would be my wife."

There was a few moments of shocked silence before Rose was able to regain her composure, her jaw clearly open. "Y-your _wife_?" she repeated, "You're _married_?" She didn't understand. The Doctor had made it very clear when she was travelling with him that he wasn't the type to settle down. He always going to travel around in the TARDIS and save planets, always. And there was no room for a wife and kids on board. Maybe this regeneration was different? Rose told herself that it didn't matter anyways. And it really didn't. She was perfectly happy with John and the life she had with him back on the parallel universe. They were just starting to try for a family now that Rose had that cold, soldier mentality gone for good in him. Still, it stung to see that the Doctor, who she really thought had loved her, was able to change for someone else and not her.

The Time Lord was a bit oblivious to this though, and simply shrugged. "It's a long story, but yes. I've got an old ball and chain, myself. Our timelines are a little mixed up… It's all very confusing. I'll explain later," he said, then looked around, "Now, where's everyone run off to? I have to talk to Jack." The reunion time had completely distracted him from what he had originally come for.

"Oh, I think Gwen and Rex went to go get Chinese," John replied, "But Jack might be in the research lab with Martha."

"Martha's here?"

"Yeah, so is Mickey," Rose nodded, "You asked Jack to get you some information, right?"

"By the time we got here, he already had Sarah Jane and Martha on the case," John finished, "He's had to deal with rebuilding his Torchwood team back up, but he said that whatever this was about was obviously important to you."

The Doctor looked down at his fingers. He thought about Amy and how he'd left her. But it was his only option if he wanted to prevent her foretold death. It was just that he missed her terribly. Even with the old crew back, it didn't fill the hole in hearts that only one ginger could really fix. He thought about Donna, his other redheaded companion that was the only one from the old gang that hadn't been able to make it. The Doctor actually preferred that, though. She was out living a normal, human life married to a normal, human husband. She was safe, while all these friends around him were signing up for something they knew nothing about. Why did people have to have such blind faith in him?

* * *

><p>Amy looked around the Torchwood office, her eyes wide with wonder. Maybe she would've been happy with working on Earth if she got to have a job here. There was no possible way you could get bored here. The only thing ruining the moment was the fact that Rory was absolutely scared stiff of the pterodactyl soaring above them. "Amy, do you remember when we learned about dinosaurs in school?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly, "Do you remember if that one was carnivorous?"<p>

"Rory, I don't think they'd let it out if it ate people," Amy replied, rolling her eyes. She had bigger things to worry about than her husband's fear of large reptiles. She _had _to get that vortex manipulator, the one that Jack was wearing right at that moment. The only thing she had to figure out was how to get it off his wrist and onto hers.

There was a nice woman they met named Gwen Cooper, who had dark hair and a slight gap between her teeth, but kind eyes. She looked at Rory with a bit of pity, trying to hold back a laugh. "Rhys, my husband, was the same way when he first saw it," she said, then looked at her boss, "Jack, you said that Rory was a nurse, right?"

"Oh, yes," Jack nodded, giving Rory another wicked smile.

"I could show you the med bay if you'd like?" Gwen suggested, "We've actually got some pretty cool stuff down there. The only rule is that we can't take anything home."

"Are there any pterodactyls or other meat-eating things in there?" Rory asked, hesitantly. He'd died enough for one lifetime, and he highly doubted that anyone could bring him back after his body had been ripped to shreds. Not even the Doctor.

Gwen laughed. "No. Not right now, anyways."

She led Rory over to the medical bay, leaving Amy and Jack by themselves. The man leaned against a desk and crossed his arms, looking more serious than the redhead had ever seen him. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"I know what you're here for," he sighed, "And I know you're not the real Amy. You're her copy, aren't you?"

Her blood froze for a second and Amy could feel adrenaline start to fill her body as she realized that she was busted. "How did you know?" But she knew. Of course, she knew. How else would Jack have recognized Rory? "You're from my future, aren't you?"

"More like _you're _from my _past_," Jack corrected, "I knew it the second you showed up. Because the real Amy wouldn't be here. Not with Rory." He flashed back to the memories of what had happened just months ago. It was all still fresh in his head, the battle. Scenes flashed in his head. The lives that were lost, changed, damaged. Jack remembered the look on Rory and the Doctor's face after it was through, their expressions completely lost. And why wouldn't they be? They both lost something that day.

"Why didn't you stop me, then? Kill me? You know where I want to go, what I'm going to do." This wasn't making sense to Amy. Nothing Jack said was computing.

He smiled softly. If only she knew. But it was too early for that. "Because I know what happens at Trenzalore," Jack said, "And even though the Doctor's going to kill me for doing this, I'm going to let you _borrow _this." He started unfastening the vortex manipulator. It was with a heavy heart that Jack did this, but he knew that this day was coming. He hadn't realized it'd be so soon.

"But I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill the Doctor," Amy said, watching him. She felt like this was too easy, like it was a trap. "He's your friend, isn't he?"

"Of course he is," Jack replied, his voice rising a bit there, but instantly calming down once more, "And so are you. He'll forgive you, of course. He's completely soft and mushy and crumbles at the sight of your face, whether it's the real thing or not."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because some things happen for a reason," Jack answered simply, handing it over. He smiled then, going into his cheerful demeanor, "Now, remember what I said. You're _borrowing _that. Give it to Rory and he'll bring it back to me."

Amy hesitantly took the device, still eyeing Jack carefully. Did he know the cause she was fighting for? If he was still here, in the future, that meant she'd killed the Doctor, right? She'd managed to stop the prophecy. That must mean that Jack believed in her then, _knew _why she had to do this. "Fine. And… Thanks, I guess," she said, fastening it onto her wrist.

Gwen and Rory came out after that, laughing and joking around. Jack smiled at his co-worker. She was so good with people, and not in the way that he was, where he could get anyone to sleep with him. It was why he kept her around. Well, one of the reasons. Gwen wasn't that bad of a looker, either. "Oh!" Rory's eyes widened when he saw the bulky piece of time technology on Amy's wrist. How the hell had she gotten it so fast? He looked at the hemline of her skirt and decided it must be that. Again. "We leaving, then?"

Amy smiled and nodded. "Yup," she replied, "It was nice meeting you, Gwen. Thanks for everything."

"Oh, we've already met before, actually," Gwen said. She was also a really good actress, "Rory, it was nice seeing you, too."

"I'm confused," Rory sighed, not knowing how everyone seemed to know him.

Gwen and Jack laughed. "You haven't changed," she sighed, then turned to Amy, "Amy..."

"We're sorry," Jack finished, knowing that Gwen was going to say much more than what she needed to. He could already see her eyes fill with guilt and pity for the two, knowing what they were about to get themselves into and being unable to stop any of it.

Amy didn't know what they meant, but she wouldn't have them blowing her cover in front of Rory. She still needed him for a little bit longer, just until she got to the destination. Going in by herself was highly dangerous, and besides, Amy knew what else was on that planet. And Rory definitely needed to be there for that, for their daughter. Because even though she was fighting for the Silence, she was also fighting to get Melody. With the Doctor gone, they wouldn't need her anymore, and Amy could take her back.

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	22. I May Never Sleep Tonight

**Hi, guys! So, here's the next chapter. Just gives us a little more information on Trenzalore and such. Chapters might be getting a tad shorter just because this is all one big adventure now and there's a tiny bit more build up and prep time needed before it happens. xP **

**I wanted to say something about Rose, just so you guys know. I'm really not a fan of hers. Like at all. But I put her in here because she's been brought up before with the fact that Amy doesn't really know EVERYTHING about the Doctor, including the fact that she wasn't the first companion that he fell in love with. There's also another reason, but it's kind of a spoiler. So, YEAH. Just had to make that clear. It may also be why... I may suck at writing her. xD BUT ANYWAYS.**

**The song for this chapter is from "Trade Mistakes" by Panic At the Disco. It's sorta my favorite now and kinda reminds me of 11/Amy. ^_^ Also, remember that 1) I own nothing and 2) Review to get a sneak peek of the next chapter. Enjoy! **

"Wow," Martha said, tilting her head and looking at the Doctor oddly. The three had just entered the research area, which really was just the area with all their desks. Martha had been sitting in the one with the large computer screen. She remembered the time that she had come to visit Torchwood, knowing fully well that it was Tosh's old desk. Before she'd died. Still, Jack had handed it over to Martha for the time being, Sarah Jane whenever she stopped by and now it was more like her own . "Jack wasn't kidding about that bow tie."

"Hey!" the Doctor cried, touching his neckwear defensively, "Don't say it like that! Bow ties are cool!"

The dark-skinned woman laughed and ran to him with her arms open, hugging him. She'd been in the research lab with her white coat, hair pulled back into a tight bun. Martha was told that the Doctor looked younger, but it still shocked her. Unlike with Rose, she'd only seen one face of his, and her human brain was trying to come to terms that this was the same man that had kissed her in the hospital, had whispered in her ear to tell his story. This was the man that had broken her heart over and over again without ever realizing it. All that was over and done with though, and she had Mickey now, who was much better than any guy she could ever imagine being with. So, Martha just pulled away and pushed his shoulder lightly.

"I gave you my phone for a reason!" she scolded, "You haven't called me _once_!"

"I don't want to be a bother, Martha," the Doctor replied, giving her a small smile, "You have your own life now with Mickey and all that humany-wumany stuff. You all do." It was why he never really visited his old friends after they left the TARDIS. They left him to live their own lives in the first place and he respected their decisions. The Doctor still dropped in occasionally, just to check up on them. But it was always from afar. He didn't want them getting involved because the Doctor led a dangerous life. Look at Amy, the only companion he couldn't seem to let go of. She had given up her whole life and had been set to die before the Doctor dropped her off at Craig's.

"You're not a bother, Doctor," Martha frowned, crossing her arms, "You're a friend. And I'd like to hear from you every once in a while, alright?"

He gave her a little salute before they joined Rose, John, and Jack. "So, what have you got for me, Captain?"

The man in the long coat smiled and turned away from the couple to go to a large computer screen. "Well, we've been able to pick _some _things up, but not a lot really," Jack answered, "We've got a few legends and stories about it, but I don't think that this 'Trenzalore' place has ever come into contact with Earth. It's not on any of Torchwood's files."

"Or UNIT's," Martha added. Although she worked as a freelance these days, she still had her connections and her old employers were more than welcome to help her once they heard that it was to help the Doctor. Unlike the majority of Torchwood branches, UNIT actually liked helping him.

"The only thing we've been able to scrape up is things that we've gotten from other planets," Jack continued, "From what we've heard though, it was a very civilized planet."

"Was?" the Doctor asked.

"According to some of the stories in the Juvarium galaxy, society collapsed," Martha explained, "No one's sure how, just that there was one lone survivor, who was absolutely mental. And he died shortly after making it to the neighboring planet."

The Doctor started making short paces. He hadn't told them that he had the location yet. It wasn't like a big secret he was keeping. It was just that the Doctor wanted to know more about this place before he got into the TARDIS and went off to fight whatever was there. If it was empty and abandoned, well that made sense. It would be all too easy for the Silence to take over. They were able to overrun the Mayans in just a short amount of time, so having no natives to deal with at all probably seemed ideal to them. Still… Something was sticking out to the Doctor.

"How do we know the last survivor was mad?"

"We found a record of the story. Apparently, he just kept muttering the same thing over and over again," Martha replied.

"Yeah, what was it?"

"Does it matter, Doctor?" Rose asked from her office chair, "Who cares what he said if he was mad?"

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, Rose. Mad is good. We can work with 'mad'! The mad always have something interesting to say! Look at me! I'm just a madman in a box, after all!" It reminded him too much of Amy, seeing as that was usually their thing, but he didn't care. They actually seemed to be getting somewhere. "So, Dr. Jones, what did the old lunatic say?"

Martha looked at him hesitantly before answering a little unsurely, "I… Well, it took a while to translate from the files we got it on, but it says something along the lines of '_The truth is what killed us._'"

"'The truth is what killed us'…" the Doctor echoed, then sighed, "Well, some hope that is. That could mean anything. It gave us no names or locations."

"So we technically have nothing?" Martha asked.

The Doctor smiled, "I wouldn't say nothing, Dr. Jones. Or, I suppose it's 'Smith' now, right?" She smiled and he continued. "I have the coordinates to Trenzalore."

"Then what are we doing sitting around here?" Rose got up from the chair, her arms crossed and looking confused at the Doctor.

John spoke up for the first time in a little while. He had taken a bit of the backseat role. Though he had a lot of the Doctor's memories, he didn't have any of the new ones. They were completely different men, it seemed, but that was what happened with regeneration. Completely different, but when it boiled down to it, the same man. John had come to terms a long time ago that he wasn't the Doctor, though. And the Doctor was the one that knew all of this stuff about Trenzalore, knew why it was important and why he had come and asked for help when he usually didn't come to revisit old friends. "Rose, I don't think he wants us to come," he said, seeing the sadness in those old, green eyes that had once looked like his own, "Whatever this is, it's big."

"No, I already told him," Rose replied, "And I'll tell you, too. There's no way the both of you are going to scare me out of going."

"Same here, Doctor," Martha spoke up, "I've always been there for you and I still will be. Always. Whenever you need my help. And I know that Mickey would say the same."

"Actually, I would, Boss," Mickey chimed in, coming inside with Gwen, Rex, and five large bags of Chinese food. He took in the new appearance of the Time Lord. "Oh my God! The bow tie! I thought Jack was kidding!"

"They're _cool_!" the Doctor argued again.

"Right…" Jack laughed, then helped with the food, "Look, Doctor, I know you don't want to drag everyone into this, but once I talked to Martha and Sarah Jane, they wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. And as for these two lovebirds over here, well, I was as surprised as you were when they showed up."

John and Rose beamed, taking a hold of each other's hands. They knew that they were the greatest surprise of the day, but they were happy to see everyone again. Rose hadn't gotten to know everyone too well, unless they were counting Donna, but she wasn't there with them, couldn't be. Still, she missed the sense of adventure that always followed the Doctor. It wasn't boring working for Torchwood in her universe, but she really had missed the TARDIS. Even John ached for it, despite his lack of Time Lord DNA.

"I can't ask you all to do this for me," the Doctor said.

"We're not asking," Gwen shrugged, stepping up next to Jack. She'd met the Doctor only once, but she had seen what he was capable of and the stories she heard about him from Jack was evidence enough that this was a man that anyone would be lucky to have as a friend.

"You don't even know what you're signing up for," he sighed. They didn't understand how high the stakes were, that this form of him was going to die there in Trenzalore. They had no idea who the Silence were and what they did, what they were capable of doing. This was the same religious order that had torn Amy's life apart, had taken her baby and tricked and lied to her, made her question her reality for months after the Doctor had saved her from them.

Martha looked at the Doctor seriously. "We've known what we were all getting into the moment you brought us into the TARDIS," she said, "Even when you told me that it was only going to be one trip."

"Or only brought me because I was playing tag-along with my girlfriend," Mickey added, smiling awkwardly at Rose.

"Even before you abandoned me on a ship full of Daleks," Jack said with a roll of his eyes.

"At least you weren't thrown on a parallel universe," John grinned, "Though I'm not complaining about what happened afterwards."

Rose smiled at the man beside her, then back at the man she used to love so very much. "I used to think that we were going to travel together forever," she said, looking at him with sad eyes. They could have been so great together. It had taken her a while to realize that that had to stay past-tense though. There was a sad fact of the Doctor that the universe was never going to change. No one ever stayed with him forever. "I didn't care when some bloke told me that your only companion was Death. I've stuck with you in bad times and good and nothing you say is going to change my mind, understand? You can't change _any_ of our minds."

The Doctor glanced around at his friends, saw the determined looks on all their faces. He sighed, hearing River's voice echo in his mind. She had said that the Doctor's name had lost its true meaning, had come to mean "warrior" on some planets. He thought of Donna, who had made him realize the soldier he'd turned Martha into. He could see that they were all like that now, and the Doctor wasn't so sure when he had lost the meaning of his name. He didn't like the idea of going into this with an army, knowing what had happened last time and knowing the dangers of this place. The Doctor was smart enough to tell that Rose was right. They were great friends, every single one of them, and they would be 'til their ends. He gave a tired smile and nodded. "Alright," he said at last, then clapped his hands together and gave them all a mischievous look, "Since I can't make any of you stay… I guess the old gang is back!"

* * *

><p>"She should be here any day now," Eliza murmured to Melody. Amy was just across the room on her mattress, her breathing pattern telling them both that she had fallen asleep. It was all she had been doing these days anyways. She wasn't as sick as before, but Amy certainly wasn't healthy. She had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was getting paler. Oddly enough, she wasn't at all malnourished or skinny. Melody watched Amy scarf down whatever meal she got, knowing she probably decided to quit being a zombie and actually try to survive. She couldn't help but think she was just trying to survive until the Doctor came and saved her. The little girl didn't have the heart to bring up the fact that her friend wasn't ever coming back and was saddened, wondering why she was never good enough for Amy.<p>

"What do you think they'll do?" Melody asked, looking over at her mother, "There can't be two of them, right?" The two girls only knew about the ganger Amy because of Eliza's closeness with Perez. She knew what the plans were.

But the older girl could hear the fear in the younger one's voice and smiled soothingly at her. "I'm sure they'll let you keep one, Melody," she replied, "You'll pick the ganger, won't you?"

Melody knew why Eliza must have thought that that was the obvious answer. Ganger Amy wasn't like her actual mother, had never abandoned her and had sworn her allegiance with the Silence. She was on the good side, while the woman just a short bit away from them was still "brainwashed" by the man they were all fighting against. Melody knew that her mother would fight for her Raggedy Man for as long as she lived, and it made her feel angry and jealous towards the Doctor. She was her _daughter_. Didn't that mean anything? Still, Melody wasn't mad enough at her mother to wish her the misfortune of being recycled. She always forgave her, after all. Eliza always said that Melody's big heart and rebellious streak were what held her back. She always loved the wrong sort of people, people like Amy.

Eliza seemed to notice her uncertainty. "She's still the same girl," she reminded her, "The only difference is that she's not brainwashed by the Doctor. And that's what matters, isn't it? She'll come stay here with us and with the real one gone and the Doctor dead, there'll be no one left to hurt you."

Melody let out a heavy sigh. "It's not that simple, Eliza," she said, "You don't under-"

"I don't understand?" she finished, and the blonde could tell that she had offended her friend, "Are you trying to say that I don't know what it's like to lose a parent, Melody? Because at least you can get yours back! _You_ can leave this place, but_ I_ can't. _This_ is all I have left."

"That's not true!" Melody cried, then glanced back over at the sleeping redhead and remembered to stay quiet. She scooted over on her mattress, closer to Eliza, and touched her arm gently, "You have Madame Perez and I. I'm sure that you can come with us if we leave this place afterwards. I know you and Mummy don't get along, but maybe…"

They were both quiet for a moment. Eliza knew that that was probably impossible, though the idea sounded appealing. She didn't like the idea of having to suck up to Amy and live with her, but maybe the ganger would be different and they could get along on something. Even though she looked the same, she wasn't the same woman that had killed Colonel Manton, hadn't taken the life of a man who was fighting for a cause to protect the universe. She gave Melody a small smile and nodded slowly. She would put with anything for her best friend, the only one that was still around for her. "Yeah, maybe," she replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry. It's just that… I do understand what it's like, Melody."

"It's fine," Melody smiled, then looked down at her fingers as they twisted together nervously. When she lifted her head again, her brown eyes were sad. "That's just not what I meant… Your parents didn't choose to leave you, Eliza. Mine did."

Eliza's gray, usually soldier-like eyes softened a bit. She took Melody's hand. "Come on. Let's go outside before she wakes up from her nap," she suggested, "You have lessons later, don't you?"

The two girls kept on talking, walking out of the creaking cell door and locking it back up before they headed outside. The white room was quiet except for the shuffling of the guards' feet and Amy tried her best to hold in her guilty sobs, shedding quiet tears. She'd been awake the whole time.

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	23. Soon It Will Be Over

**Hi, guys! So, it's been a year OFFICIALLY since I first published "The Girl Who Didn't Make Sense." Since then, we've come such a long way and I want to thank everyone who's stuck with this story! And as a little gift... I'M GOING TO PUBLISH TWO CHAPTERS. And here is number one!**

**The chapter title comes from the song "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. It kind of relates to one of the conversations that's going to happen here and we're going to have an official goodbye from one of the characters. This is the last time you'll see her... Technically. **

**Remember that I own nothing AND if you send in a review, you'll get a sneak peek!(: Enjoy!**

Amy was holding onto the last bit of hope she had. She could sense it in the guards, Kovarian, the soldiers that she saw, even Perez when she graced the prisoner with her presence. They were starting to get jittery, and Amy knew that meant only one thing. The time was coming. She was nervous and anxious, relieved and absolutely terrified. What if it wasn't the Doctor? What if her copy had succeeded? She didn't know what she would do in that situation. Maybe give up? Amy knew that she wouldn't be able to fight off all these people and she certainly wasn't capable of hijacking the TARDIS. The last time she'd tried piloting that blue box, she'd ended up damaging it enough that it took the Doctor _three days_ to fix it.

Of course, Amy still believed that the Doctor was out there, that he'd realized that he wasn't with the right girl. She knew he could be a real idiot sometimes, but surely he would notice, right? He would be able to tell something was up, that his companion was trying to murder him. The hopeful part of her head reminded her that the Doctor was a master of war, just like River had said back in Berlin. The doubtful part reminded Amy that there was only one approach that the Doctor would fall for. And that was exactly why Perez had brought in the ganger.

She sighed, hitting her head against the wall and closing her eyes. She wasn't getting sick very much anymore , but Amy was far from healthy. She was still weak and tired, getting more than one dizzy spell. She still felt like death. The Silence_ had_ to be putting something in her food, to take all of Amy's fight out of her. And, sadly, the redhead had to admit it was working.

"Come on, Raggedy Man," she murmured, feeling her eyes prick with tears, "I need you… _Please_."

* * *

><p>The Doctor had spent two more days on Earth with his new team, trying to get information, but they were absolutely right. There was nothing on Trenzalore, anything useful anyways. There were just stories and fables, legends that they were strong gods, but the Doctor knew it was only because they were so advanced and the surrounding planets that they had taken over were pretty barbaric. Of course they would seem like gods.<p>

He also tried to find more information on the lone survivor, but it wasn't working out very well. He'd managed to get onto an escape pod that took him to one of the other colony planets. His name had been Onius and he was just a little over a century old, which was probably about 46 in human years. There was the "The truth was what killed us" thing, but he hadn't had much time to say anything else before he died. The Doctor tried to find out the cause, but the medical records from this planet were not so advanced, quite primitive actually, and he couldn't find what it was. There were observations that the man had no wounds at all, so it _had_ to be something internal. But what had happened? Why was he the only one to survive? What had happened to the others? And what did his last words mean?

After the first couple of days, the Doctor got far too bored. He didn't like how linear and slow time was when you had absolutely nothing to do but chase dead ends. So, he decided that if he was going to go up against a highly-trained army, then he was going to have one of his own. While Martha, John, Rose, and the Torchwood team stayed to continue research, he took Mickey and Jack to visit some old friends.

River had always said that there were people in the universe that loved him, that would help the Doctor when his time came. And she was absolutely right. They were able to locate the pirates that he'd encountered with Amy, who still contained the same amount of bloodlust as always. Madame Vastra came along with Jenny, her maid. Churchill loaned the Doctor some of his greatest WWII soldiers, who were definitely freaked by the reptilian woman and the box that was bigger on the inside. Winston told them to buck up though, because when you travelled with a man like the Doctor, you were bound to see things ten times more strange.

"Thanks, Winston!" the Doctor said, his head dangling out the blue box.

"Bring them home safe, Doctor," he replied, taking a puff of his cigar. The Time Lord wrinkled his nose in disgust at the smell. "And remember… A plan is useless, but planning is absolutely invaluable."

The Doctor chuckled, giving the man a salute before dropping everyone off back at the Torchwood base. He still had someone to go get, but he needed to do this alone. "Why?" Rose asked when he told her she couldn't come along.

"I'm breaking into a prison that has the most maximum security in the universe," he responded with a soft smile.

"You're breaking out a criminal?"

"The biggest war criminal in all of time and space," the Time Lord grinned. Little did Rose know that the only reason this person was titled that was because of his murder. "Who also happens to be a little psychopathic."

"Doctor…"

"Don't worry, Rose," the Doctor said, already walking back into the TARDIS, "I can trust this woman. I married her, after all."

* * *

><p>River didn't know how long she could take being in prison anymore. She had an hour to kill before she had a meeting with Father Octavius, a man that said he had a mission for her, one that could possibly get her out of Stormcage for good behavior. Even though she was constantly escaping, the jail really couldn't say anything since she always returned. River didn't know what it was going to be, but she would do whatever the man told her to get out of here.<p>

She sighed, sitting at her cold desk. River didn't even have the heart to open up her diary and try to reread some of her stories with the Doctor, which always improved her mood. Now it was just making her sad. She hadn't been able to see her husband since saving Amy from Demon's Run again, when she left her past self. River still felt guilty about it, but she knew they would all forgive her someday. It wasn't like it wouldn't have been stopped anyways. Rory and Amy could have never raised Melody. She was part of a fixed point in time that always had to happen and there was no way that the little girl could have escaped that. Besides, soon all that pain that the little girl had would dull. She would forget a lot. River now could barely recall anything. It was like a dream, something that had been all in her head.

The sound of footsteps made the woman's eyebrows furrow, hearing them get closer and closer, then stop outside her cell. Father Octavius was a little early, wasn't he? Well, most clergymen these days were used to strict schedules. She looked up just as the tall figure with the brown, floppy hair grinned. "Hi honey, I'm home."

"At what sort of time do you call this?" River asked kindly, loving their little sayings, smiling back at him and moving over to the bars. "Hello, Sweetie. What have you come for this time? Conjugal visit?"

"Not the sort you're thinking of, dear," the Doctor chuckled, leaning against the cell. River could feel the heat coming off him. She saw his face turn serious and he cleared his throat. "I need your help."

"And you have it, my love," she answered instantly. River would do anything for this man. Even stay all these years in this blasted cell. "What is it?"

The Doctor knew that River would respond as such and he was so happy. The last time he'd seen her was back at the Singing Towers and he'd been quite emotional. He'd also thought that was the last time he was ever going to see her. He met her blue eyes. "What do you know about Trenzalore?"

River felt something stir at the name. This was how her memories went. There was always some sort of trigger, but that was the only way that she remembered anything. This time, images came to her in a rush. She remembered the landscape, a field of the most beautifully dark purple flowers. She also remembered a room, a white room that she lived in, and a girl that she couldn't quite name at the moment. An image of Amy huddled in a corner on her bed, looking absolutely ghastly and sick flashed by. She saw soldiers and the Doctor coming to her, helping her and her mother, her friend that she still couldn't remember. Bodies were all around the ground, the blood getting lost in the naturally red grass and River could remember being more scared than she ever had been in her short life.

"I… Enough to know it's dangerous," River replied. She didn't know what else to say, not wanting to lie right now. She was so tired of lying. Everything was coming together and piecing together. The blonde could remember the lives that were lost that day, especially one, one that had affected her to the core as a little girl. River knew all about Trenzalore now. And she didn't want the Doctor to go there, but she knew that if he really wanted to go, she wouldn't be able to stop him. "Don't tell me…"

"I have to go," the Doctor said, knowing that was what River had been about to say. He could see the fear behind her eyes and he was afraid of what she knew.

"No you don't, Sweetie."

"I do," he argued vehemently, "River, I can't keep running from things. You _know_ this. One way or another, I'm going to end up there, and I think the sooner the better. There's someone sending me messages, a code. 211212. It's the coordinates, and they are written all over time and space."

River frowned. "That sounds like something I'd do. A future me, perhaps?"

"I thought about that, but it doesn't have your… Signature," the Doctor said with a slight smirk. If it had been River, she would have made it completely obvious that it was her.

"This is dangerous, Doctor," she murmured, reaching through the bars to cup his cheek. River wanted him to open the damn door already. "Are you sure you're ready? They'll have an army waiting for you."

"And I have my own," he replied. The Doctor saw the look in her eyes, the same one she gave him back at Demon's Run when he'd first saved Amy. "Don't worry. It won't be like last time."

"Then why-"

"It won't be like last time," the Doctor repeated, his eyes never leaving River's, trying to reassure her, "Because I'll have someone to control me if I get out of hand. That's why I'm here River. I want you to come with me."

River loved hearing those words, him telling her to come with him. Sometimes, she wondered why she never travelled with the Doctor permanently as a companion, but River knew why she would always say no. She didn't want to be one. His companions were all bright-eyed and believed that the Doctor was the greatest thing, that they were going to travel with him forever. And River was far too mature to believe in all that nonsense. Companions would always come and go, whether they liked it or not, and that wasn't how River wanted to be. She didn't want to be part of that list that he had, a file among dozens of others. That wasn't the only reason she was going to refuse him now though.

"I can't go with you," she said with a level voice. River knew he would be angry.

The Doctor's jaw tightened and he looked down. He knew he needed River there with him to make sure he didn't get out of control. Though Rose and Martha had done it all before, this was a different man. He had a different temper and they didn't know how fast it could flash. Only River and Amy knew this regeneration's temper, what brought it on, how to help him ease it. Amy always said that it was when he got too emotional, after all, but she couldn't be here.

"I would if I could, my love," River went on, "_Please_ know that."

"Then, why?"

"Because I'll be interfering with my own timeline," she explained, "You know how messy that can get. Besides, look what happened the last time I did that?" River knew what was coming at Trenzalore and it was best if she didn't say anything at all.

"You're saying _you're_ at Trenzalore?" the Doctor asked, suddenly very interested, "Fine. Then at least tell me what I need to know."

"I can't." River shook her head. She could already feel the tension in the air as the Doctor watched her, knowing exactly what she was going to say before her lips had barely moved to form it. "Spoilers."

The Doctor moved away from River's touch, turning his back to her. He was getting frustrated. She knew everything that he needed to know, yet she wasn't going to tell him a single thing. She couldn't be convinced like anyone else. Once River said "Spoilers," that was it. The Doctor wouldn't get a peep out of her. He let out an angry growl.

River sighed. "Doctor, you don't want me to tell you what happens there," she said, "Fore-knowledge-"

"Is dangerous, I know!" the Doctor finished, his voice getting louder and more upset. He turned back to River angrily. "I'm going to die there, River. The fall of the Eleventh, remember? And I'd really appreciate it if I knew how to stop that."

"Darling, not everything in prophecies is as blunt and clear as they seem," she reasoned, "Besides, you know what could happen if I told you. It could create a fixed point in time and then whatever I say happens _happens_. And you might not like some of the things I tell you."

He knew she was right, but that only made him angrier. The Doctor was about to argue some more, even though it was completely a moot point. Then, a guard came by, making his rounds. He spotted the Doctor. "Excuse me, sir. Visiting hours are over," he said in a very business-like tone. The guard was fairly new, but he had learned on his first day that River Song was a prisoner that you needed to be cautious with. The stick figure of her saying "Bye!" and waving was still drawn on her wall and every time he passed it, the guard still felt humiliation. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave now, sir."

The Time Lord let out a heavy breath. He knew he couldn't just use psychic paper in this place. They were heavily trained around here and even if they fell for it, he would still have to go back downstairs and do an hour's worth of paperwork. That was just how Stormcage worked, hence why it was so hard to escape this place.

The Doctor gave River one last pleading glance. The blonde shook her head and gave him a sad smile in response. He looked down and nodded slowly, knowing that he had lost a great person to have with him at Trenzalore. "Sir," the guard said, reminding him that he had to go.

"Yeah, yeah," the Doctor replied as he turned back towards the hall and towards his TARDIS. "Hold your horses. I'm going, alright?"

River didn't know what to say to him anymore. She knew that he had accepted her choice, even if it displeased him. She listened to his footsteps go down the hall. "Doctor!" she called out, pressing herself against the bars to take one last look at him. River tilted her head at a very uncomfortable angle, seeing him stop. She stared at his tweed-clad back. "I love you."

The Doctor smirked to himself, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "And I love you, River Song," he returned, then continued down the hallway with the guard quickly following after him. He was probably in for a surprise when he saw the strange visitor disappear in a blue box.

Inside the cell, River pulled back from the metal bars and pressed her back against the adjacent wall, closing her eyes and sighing. She listened for the sound of the TARDIS, hearing it ever so faintly, and then went to her desk, hand stretching for her next journal entry. It was a short encounter, so River didn't count on it being lengthy.

_Dear Diary,_

_The Doctor visited again, but with a real purpose this time. He's going to Trenzalore. I didn't know what it all meant at first, but I do now. He's in trouble and it pains me to know that I can't help him, but crossing my own timeline is too dangerous. I learned from the last time that I'll only make a bigger mess of things._

_I know this is the last time that version of him will see me. He knew far too much about me, something that's so refreshing with these younger Doctors. He'll go to Trenzalore and he'll finally be able to meet Melody Pond. And she'll fall in love with him instantly. Like I ever really had a fighting chance, anyways. The man who she was destined to love and kill, the man who would always try to save her… _

_This relationship can seem so one-sided with the distance and the constant traveling, but it's times like these when I know that he really does need me. I feel so guilty for not being able to tell him everything, for not going. I could save myself, make up for the last time. I could tell him about the flowers and the Trenzalorians and the Silence. I could tell him how to save my mother. I could tell him of the look on his face that day in the fields… Even being a little girl raised like I was, I had never seen such misery and sadness in one man. _

_He'll never forgive me for this, I know. While the Doctor knows that Amy Pond, my dear mother, is just like every other human being who will die far before he does, he will never accept it. I_

River stopped from her writing when she heard some more footsteps, this time being three. She looked up from her blue diary and met eyes with an older man than the one she had just spoken to, two guards on either side of him. He gave her a steely look, looking over her once and deciding whether the curly-haired woman really was a dangerous war criminal.

"And you are?" she asked, setting down her pen and closing the old book on it.

The man gave her a very business-like smile. After all, this was what it was. "Hello, Ms. River Song," he said. River took in his military uniform and the beret that sat up on his seemingly hairless head, "I'm Father Octavius. I've come to talk to you about obtaining a pardon for you."

She smiled and stood up from her chair, sauntering over. "Sounds a little too simple, Father," she replied, "There's a price to it, am I right?" It didn't matter what it was. River just wanted out of this cell.

"Actually, yes," Father Octavius told her, nodding and showing a little more emotion in his voice. It was hard to stay completely robotic around someone like River Song. He looked at her carefully. "What do you know about the Weeping Angels?"

River didn't say anything for a moment, giving a double take. _That_ had been unexpected, and she usually wasn't surprised when it came to humans these days. She smirked and put her hand on her hip. "Only that they're almost completely unstoppable," she responded, "Luckily, I happen to know a man that has had experience with them and who happens to be worth an _entire_ army."

_Oh, shoot me for bragging_, she thought to herself, mentally shrugging. Sure the future Doctor was trying to keep low still, but the young Doctor was still out being the loud and meddlesome Time Lord that he was. And that visit really _had_ been all too short for her.

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	24. Come Take the Weight Off Me

**And here's the second chapter! Well... Technically, the 24th.. But the second chapter of today, I mean! Again, thanks for sticking around and... Yeah(: I promise that the next chapter, we'll finally see some action. Everything that needed to be addressed totally is and I think we're just about ready for Trenzalore! **

**This chapter's title is from the song "Rubik's Cube" by Athlete. I don't if I've already used it... But I just really like the song!**

**Let us recall that I own absolutely nothing! All characters that you recognize totally belong to BBC and all that legal junk. ALSO. Review to get a sneak peek of the next chapter. Okay. This girl is done talking and updating. Thanks and enjoy!(: **

While the Doctor was gone at Stormcage, some of his other companions had tried to reach out to others. Rose had contacted Elton Pope, who had another LINDA group set up. The new members were still a bit awestruck by the alien though, and mainly wanted his autograph, but Rose thanked Elton anyways and told him to say hello to Ursula, who he said he was now legally married to. Apparently, one of the LINDA members became an ordained priest via the internet and married the two. Jack and his team had some sort of Wheevil outbreak in the sewers that they had to go clean up, but the captain had managed to get a hold of Alonso, who had immediately said he would help in any way that he could. Martha teased Jack by saying that he probably only agreed so fast because he wanted to see his boyfriend. Jack gave her a toothy grin, but didn't dare to say anything else. The team didn't really know about Alonso that much, Jack not wanting to admit that he was moving on from Ianto.

When the Doctor had come back, Martha had suggested that they get Wilf. After all, he had been so helpful before, she pointed out. Instead of reminding her that Wilf was sort of the one that had made the Doctor save him and die from radiation, the Time Lord just shook his head. He was leaving Donna alone to live her life. She was happy, living happily off the money she'd won from the lottery ticket that he'd given her with her husband. And maybe Wilf was living off it too, getting a newer, high-tech telescope to search the stars with. Maybe he'd even given into old Minnie's advances and had found a new love of his own.

"I can't do that to them, Martha," he said, "I won't disrupt their lives. Her life." It was different when it came to Donna. While the others all remembered him, she didn't. She couldn't. And that was why she had the best chance out of them all to lead the most happily human life possible. Even if it hadn't been what she thought she had wanted when she had traveled with the Doctor.

"You know Wilf would keep a secret, Doctor," she reasoned, "He still hasn't told her about you."

"Don't call him," the Doctor replied sternly, "I mean it, Martha Jones-Smith." He seriously couldn't say "Martha Smith." It sounded far too boring and simple. Plus, the Doctor never did like change when it came to his companions… So, the Doctor decided that Martha's name was hyphenated. Even when Mickey and her told him time and time again that it was _really_ just "Smith."

The dark-skinned woman just gave him a small nod and decided to drop it. She had already begun to note the differences between the Doctor she had traveled with and the one in front of her. This one wore his age so much more than his tenth regeneration. They both still had the great ability to mask their feelings, but there was definitely an underlying sense that this Doctor could flip the handle at any moment and become the man that the Daleks called "the Oncoming Storm." Martha wondered what had happened to him since she had last seen him. Was it because it was the new body? Or was this because of a certain event?

"Where's your friend?" she asked suddenly. Martha was an inquisitive companion, always had been. If she had a question, she would ask it. Of course, that didn't promise that the Doctor would give her a straight answer or reply at all. "Jack talked about her when she got stuck in that alley. But where's she now?"

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment, not sure what to tell Martha. He hadn't told anyone about Amy, mainly because he didn't see the point. Now that she was Craig and Sophie, that silly prophecy and everything that Rory had said would change. Time could be rewritten, after all. He pursed his lips and crossed his arms, leaning against the TARDIS console. Since their group had become a tad bit bigger, they'd all moved out of the Torchwood base and into the blue time machine. The companions had seemed pretty excited about it, anyways. They'd missed the old place. But then they'd seen the inside and realized that it was bigger and brighter than before. It was just as different as this new, younger version of the Doctor.

"She's safe," he finally said.

Martha knew that was all she was going to get out of him for the time being. That didn't mean this was the last time she was going to ask about it, though.

* * *

><p>To say the least, Craig and Sophie were pretty worried. It'd been almost three days since the night Amy had left with Rory to go to dinner. The first night, they were sure that she had just gone over there, and it was quite an awkward thing to think about seeing as they knew about her relationship with the Doctor, which had seemed so perfect before that fellow with the big nose showed up, claiming to be <em>married <em>to Amy.

By dinner the next day, they were starting to get anxious. They'd both sent messages, numerous messages, to Amy's cell phone but they'd yet to get a reply. When they went to sleep that night, they told themselves that she was staying another night and her phone had completely died. Her charger was still plugged into the outlet in her room and it seemed like a perfectly good explanation.

Sophie wished she could go and smack her past self for not reacting more, but she was so busy with going back to work and taking care of Alfie, that sometimes it slipped her mind. She had only noticed that Amy was still missing when she passed by her bedroom door, which was wide open and revealed the semi-clean room inside. They talked in strained voices that third night after they put Alfie down to sleep.

"Do you think she's still with him?" Sophie asked, her head leaning on her hand carefully as she sat across the table from her fiancé and sipped her hot tea, "I'm worried, Craig. Not just because she's gone. But what does this mean for the Doctor and her? Do you think he knows about Rory? Or that Rory knows about him?"

Craig sipped at his hot drink and set the mug down, his fingers playing with a corner on the newspaper. He looked up and shrugged at his wife. "Maybe. I don't know. I could see Rory in the Doctor's head. He seemed really… Guilty about something," Craig said, "Maybe it's because he's sleeping with the man's wife."

"But Amy talked to me about getting _married _to the Doctor…" Sophie just didn't understand any of it. She was feeling overwhelmed, sure that they weren't supposed to let her out this long. And why wasn't Amy answering her phone? "She could be anywhere, Craig. What if she's dead?"

Craig opened his mouth to reply, though he had no idea what he was going to say. He felt the same way that Sophie did. He didn't think that Amy would be gone this long without calling. She knew that they only said that she could go for dinner, and even though they'd told her numerous times that they didn't want to imprison her, just keep her safe like the Doctor asked, Craig felt like that should have been an order that got followed.

Before he could say anything, Craig could feel a vibration from his pocket. He took out his phone, frowning when he checked the caller ID. "Oh, no," he told Sophie, "It's him."

He didn't need to continue. Sophie knew perfectly well who it was. She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face. She wondered what this meant, that they could barely keep track of an independent, grown adult, who was much more easy to take care of than a little baby. What did that say about Craig and hers parenting skills? "You know he'll worry anyways if you don't pick up," she pointed out. Then again, it seemed like the Doctor was always worried when it came to Amy, though he had very good reason to be.

Craig sighed and nodded, pressing the little green phone and answering the call. He put it on speaker phone for Sophie to hear, hoping that if the time came down to it, she would be able to save Craig from the task of lying to the Time Lord. "Hey, Doctor!" he said with one of the fakest "happy" voices his fiancée had ever heard. He never had been a good actor. That's why his only real hobby was football.

"Craig!" the Doctor's voice boomed out. Even through the phone, the couple could hear the stress in his voice. They knew what he was doing to himself, going off to his own death. Craig knew that it wasn't really a death. He would regenerate, like all Time Lords did. It took Sophie a little while to get everything, but Craig eventually got the point across, that this was the Doctor's _eleventh_ face. "How is my favourite Owens family?"

"Do you know another Owens family?" Craig asked, brow furrowing. Sophie laughed a bit, despite the circumstances.

"I've traveled all through time and space," the Doctor pointed out, "Do you really think you're the only man in the universe with 'Owens' as a surname?"

"He's got a point," Sophie chimed in.

"Oh, Sophie! You're there too?"

"Hello, Doctor," she responded with a soft smile, "Craig's put you on speaker phone."

"Perfect! Now," the Doctor continued, his voice sounding a little happier than before. The couple knew what was coming next, "I'd like to speak to Amy. Where is she?"

Craig and Sophie looked at each other, the woman biting her lip and the man shifting his weight uncomfortably. They shared the same thought. _If only we knew_…

* * *

><p>Something odd was going on with Amy. Melody watched her mother carefully from the other side of the room. Eliza was gone, getting busier than usual now that the moment of truth was coming. This was what the Silence had been waiting for. They were either going to have an instant win or a fight to the death against the Time Lord. And at least they'd be prepared. Even her lessons were becoming fewer and fewer. Melody was falling into the background on this operation and suddenly no one had the time for her. Except for her cell mate, her own mother.<p>

It was a bad day for the redhead. Her health had been staying level, but still poor for the past week, but now something else seemed to be happening to her. Amy didn't know what was happening to her and Melody was starting to get scared of being in an enclosed space with her, which was saying something, seeing as the little girl wasn't exactly scared of a lot of things. It wasn't that Amy was throwing up anymore or getting sick. She was just starting to get more emotional, more angry. In the last two days, she'd thrown at least four major fits, biting one of the guards pretty badly.

Amy wasn't sure how it all happened. It was like she had no control over what was happening. Her head was no longer running the show. Or at least the sensible part. She would be sitting on her bed, thinking and hoping for the Doctor to hurry up and get his arse over here when she'd become overwhelmed by pure, dark anger. Amy always thought people were exaggerating when they said that they were so mad that they "saw red," but she could definitely vouch for them now. And though she was never quite in control, she always managed to make sure she didn't hurt Melody. Only everyone else, anyone who was in the way. If there was no one else in the room, then she just threw things, kicked, screamed.

It had been a few hours since the last time she'd done that and she had been lying in her bed ever since, staring at the white wall and trying to keep her mind clear, which was almost impossible. Amy was always thinking about _something_, especially these days when she had no one else to talk to. She knew now why the Doctor always had companions. Loneliness was almost worse than actually being dead. Amy turned over, having felt her daughter's eyes boring holes into the back of her head. Their eyes met, neither looking away. They didn't speak for a good few minutes, and it was Amy that broke the silence. "I'm sorry," she said softly, hoping that Melody heard her so that she didn't have to repeat herself, "I know you're scared, but don't be, alright? I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

"You promised not to leave me, too," Melody replied, then covered up her mouth quickly. She hadn't meant to say that, but it had sort of just come out. She usually spoke her mind, never really having a filter between her head and her mouth, but it was different with Amy. She had always been trying to impress her before, and since her most recent capture, Melody had been trying her best to ignore her, to show her that she didn't need her, had gotten over the fact that Amy had abandoned her. But with those seven little words hanging in the air, it was clear that Melody still cared.

The sentence sent a sharp pang to Amy's heart. She could feel guilt soak up every cell of her. Amy became overwhelmed with sadness and she tried to blink back the tears that were already starting to make her eyes cloudy. Why the hell was she reacting this strongly? "I didn't mean to," Amy said, swallowing and sitting up, "I swear, I didn't. I thought… I thought that you were coming with me, but River didn't get you."

"River was the blonde woman." It wasn't a question. Melody could still remember the big mass of blonde curls as the older woman smiled at her gently, reassuring her before she pressed the button on her wrist and vanished.

It took everything in Amy to keep her tongue held, to not say a single thing about who River _really_ was, what had_ really_ happened. She instead gave a small nod, folding her hands in her lap. The white clothes were starting to fit her better, far less baggy, and her skin somehow wasn't so pale anymore, even though she hadn't stepped outside in almost eight weeks. No longer was she milky white against hospital white. It made her look a tiny bit less small and pathetic, two things that Amy Pond most certainly was not. Now, if only she could _feel_ like her old self again.

"Why didn't you come back for me?" It was what Melody had wondered for a long time. And even with this knowledge about the blonde woman in the leather suit, she knew that Amy had always had a chance to come back and get her. She traveled in a time machine, for Heaven's sake.

"I looked everywhere for you," Amy explained, "The Doctor, your dad, and I… We spent months on it. But we couldn't find you. And then an old friend of mine… He was from the future and he told me I would find you when I least expected it, when I had already stopped."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" she asked. She was afraid of letting Amy in again, of trusting someone who had hurt her so much in the past.

It was silent for a few moments. Amy was trying to form a reply. She could have lied, but there was something that just made her want to tell the truth. "You don't," she replied, "You just have to trust me, Melody, because I'm your mother."

Melody didn't know why she was believing this. Even if it sounded convincing… Even if Amy's eyes shone with complete honesty… Hadn't everyone else told her the other story, the one where her mother just didn't care, had abandoned her for a silly Time Lord who took her around all of time and space? Why would she believe one woman over everyone else who had been there for Melody her entire life? The answer came instantly in her head. _Because it's Amy. _ And Melody would always be looking for her mother's approval and love._ Always_.

She crossed the divide between them, going over to Amy's side of the room for the first time since she'd arrived. The redhead watched her carefully, not wanting to hope too much. She knew it was probably impossible to break Melody's training, all that brain-washing. The little girl sat on the bed, the mattress squeaking just slightly under her weight. She grabbed Amy's hand, warm against Melody's cool skin. She looked up at her mother, hoping that her eyes were conveying that she was giving this one last shot, that she forgave her mother. Maybe Amy's story was true, and everyone else just didn't know that she'd been looking for her daughter this whole time, had wanted her and loved her.

"Hello, Mummy," Melody smiled, her legs kicking against the bed softly. She wasn't too good with emotions and already this situation had too many of them.

Amy smiled back, feeling a tear escape her and wiping her eyes quickly before it became one huge mess. Then her mother said the two words that Melody would never forget, the words that meant they could move on from their problems in the past, that they could be strong and fight through it, love each other, despite the lies and the trust issues.

She didn't even think about it, what it meant. It just came out of Amy, and she didn't quite process the familiarity of the words, too happy that she finally had a friend here, had her daughter back. "Hello, Sweetie."

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	25. I'm Still in the Dark

**Hola, mi amigos! So, here's the next chapter. I think I promised that we were officially in Trenzalore before, but I sort of had a last minute decision. BUT THIS IS, I SWEAR, THE LAST PRE-TRENZALORE CHAPTER. And then we're going to go into the last bit of the story. :P **

**Okay, so this chapter title comes from the song "Tenderness" by General Public. I don't really know if there's any 11/Amy in it... I could probably find some similarity, but I'm tired. xP ANYWAYS.**

**Recall that this is not my idea. Well, I mean the Trenzalore thing. But not the actual place... So, in short... I OWN NOTHING. Oh, and review to get a sneak peek(: Okay. Done talking. ENJOY!**

"Tomorrow is the day," the white figure in the black suit said. It stood across from Perez in their headquarters' control room. The whole camp was built on the old Trenzaloran ruins. Even they didn't know what had happened to the native breed, not that they cared. It just made things all the easier. Still, the buildings showed no damage, just age, and the Silence had already spent some time constructing their camp. They couldn't have anything collapsing on them, and the jail holding Amy had been completely redone to make sure she couldn't escape.

This office was no different. On the outside, the main building looked like it could be blown down with the lightest breeze, but on the inside, it was lined with metal and pure, white walls. Perez sat in her desk on the opposite side of her boss. "I know," she said, "And everything is set."

"You sound confident. How do you know your little plan succeeded?"

"Well," Perez smirked, lacing her fingers together, "It was a pretty clever idea, and even if it fails, we have every last bit of resources we need to win this."

The alien's beady eyes stared into the woman's, tilting its head, as if still a little unsure with this plan. She was taking this far too lightly. The Silence completely understood what they were dealing with. They had inhabited the planet Earth for thousands and thousands of years, since the creation of fire, living quietly amongst the humans, whispering their ideas and plans to civilizations. They had watched from the corner of the Doctor's eyes through all his regenerations as he saved the humans time and time again. They saw all his victories, remembered how he had almost completely caused the extinction of their race. He was a force to be reckoned with, and the Silence never lost sight of that.

"Be careful, Madame Perez," it said, "This is our last chance to get rid of the Doctor. If you fail, we will all die. The Silence will make sure yours is much slower."

Perez's smirk dropped. She knew what had happened to Kovarian, even though it hadn't yet, not technically. Kovarian knew it, too. After Lake Silencio, she was going to be a dead woman. They didn't need her anymore and she had failed them. And with that foreknowledge, Madame Kovarian had been trying to stop it. She was so eager to have Melody completely trained now, trying to rewrite her future, prevent her death. She didn't want Perez's plan to work, because the minute it did, she would still be dead. It would be written in time forever that the Doctor didn't die at Lake Silencio, but at Trenzalore. And she wouldn't be able to change her future.

Perez had to prevent her own fate as well. A lot was riding on this plan and if she failed, she knew that Kovarian's death would be nothing to hers. Because she had promised that she was the answer. "It'll work," she replied, trying to keep the edge out of her voice, "I_ know_ it will."

* * *

><p>The coordinates were already typed out, displayed on the screen. They had been for the past ten minutes, until the Doctor stopped and stared down at the console, getting deep into thought. His companions all watched, wondering and worrying. He'd told them that they were going to Trenzalore to save someone, and that it was a big deal because these were people who wanted him dead. All of that was true. There was definitely signals being sent that clearly indicated a rescue and the prophecy made it clear that the Silence would be there, waiting for him. The Doctor just hadn't told them that that same prophecy also talked about him possibly dying.<p>

He didn't want them to worry, especially since the Doctor felt he had regeneration to fall back on. They'd know when the time came, right? Still, the Doctor had considered that their side might lose if he died. He wasn't stupid. The Doctor was the one leading this. He was the main soldier in this fight, despite his distaste for war. But this couldn't be helped. This was written in time and it had to happen. He had to take this chance and do it before Amy had a chance to figure out a way back to him, before she made her own way to Trenzalore.

To say the Doctor was worried would be an understatement. He didn't know where Amy had gone and was more than angry with himself for not seeing ahead of time that Amy would somehow manage to escape. The only thing consoling him was the fact that she was with Rory. He knew that that man was the only one that could protect Amy as much as himself. Of course, with the comfort came jealousy, but the Doctor was doing a very good job in ignoring that fact.

He knew why Amy had left, where she was going, though the Doctor wasn't sure how successful her little adventure would be. If she honestly thought that she could try to find him, then Amy Pond was absolutely mistaken. It was just completely impossible. The Time Lord was forgetting exactly who he was dealing with, though. Amy Pond was an impossible girl who conquered impossible things.

"Doctor?" Rose repeated, moving her head in his line of sight and giving him a concerned look, "You okay there?"

The Doctor blinked, shaking off his thoughts and gave her a smile. "I'm always okay," he replied, "You know that, Rose."

The blonde gave him a gentle smile. No one ever fell for that line, but they never completely questioned it either. She moved her hand over his and squeezed it gently. The Doctor had thought in the past that it would be weird for Rose to come back, that there would still be feelings there. There were, in a way, but it was just that they had both changed since the last time they'd seen each other. This was a new Doctor, one that Rose was still trying to get to know. One that was already in love with someone else. And Rose had her Doctor, one that wouldn't run away constantly and would settle down instead of going on adventures constantly. Now, it was more like they were exes, but amicable ones, that impossible scenario between two people where they just agreed that what they had was amazing, but it was just time to accept that they had both moved on. He was actually quite pleased with that fact.

"We're ready," she said firmly, misunderstanding the Doctor's grim look. He had never really explained to her who Amy was, not because he was hiding her, but because it hurt to talk about her. It only made him miss her more, and now that he didn't know where she was, he would only get more and more worried. "We can do this."

_I shouldn't be making them do this_, the Doctor thought, _River and Donna were right. I turn my friends into soldiers. I'm no man of peace. No matter how hard I try, it always goes back to _war. He didn't say that, though. He knew what Rose would say. They'd already had this conversation before. Now it was time to talk about the serious matter. He was going to die at Trenzalore. Sure, there might be regeneration, but there also could be a chance that he didn't. The Silence were determined not to have the question be answered and the Doctor didn't blame them. His name was a dangerous thing to know and there was a reason why he didn't tell anyone, not even Amy. It made sense that the Silence would pull out all the stops to make sure he died before the answer was spoken, letting that information die with him.

"I know," the Doctor said, instead, "Rose, I need to ask you something."

"Anything," she replied with a nod.

"Remember when I was in my ninth body?" he asked, "When I was stuck on Satellite Five and my emergency recording told you to leave me?" He sighed and continued. "I'm leaving it up to you to make sure that everyone gets out."

"Doctor-"

"I mean it," he continued, "Get everyone you can and get them on the TARDIS. I have all the home coordinates set so that everyone gets back here safely. Then, it'll be the same as last time. It'll stop in London, in a little corner where it will stay unnoticed for… Well, for forever."

"Why are you saying this?" she asked, "You're going to get out of this. Just like you always do!"

He didn't want to say it. The Doctor didn't want to tell Rose that he was going to die there. He didn't want to tell anyone that. It would only do exactly what he didn't want them to do. They would make him getting out their first priority. The Doctor got a flashback from the forest in the Byzantium, what River had told Father Octavian.

"_Father Octavian, when the Doctor's in the room, your one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me, it's not easy. Now if he's dead back there, I'll never forgive myself. And if he's alive, I'll never forgive him_."

She knew that something was still up, but before Rose could question him anymore, Jack came in with a newly-recruited Liz X. She'd even brought a dozen of her men over and the Doctor had decided that she was the last stop, even though others were sure that he should try to keep recruiting. He was expecting the worst, and the Doctor wasn't sure how much blood he could handle being on his hands. "So, Doctor," the queen said, her cape swishing behind her. The Time Lord didn't fail to notice Jack eyeing her up and down. There was no doubt that he was attracted to Liz, and she'd been hardly innocent in her replies to his flirting. "When are we leaving? Everyone's getting antsy."

"Yeah, so we started exploring," Jack chimed in with his sual easy smile, "My team's pretty fascinated with that artifact room."

"Right, of course," the Doctor replied. That was pretty predictable. They were from Torchwood after all, and they'd already talked about a few of the gadgets that they'd used, like a pair of gloves that could bring people back to life. Of course, like everything, it had a cost. And the same went for some of the things in the TARDIS' room. "Just don't touch anything, alright? Some of that stuff-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Jack said, rolling his eyes, "I made sure they weren't touching anything pointy, alright? Last I saw, Rex and Gwen were checking out some huge magnifying glass thing. Couldn't figure out what the hell it was for. It doesn't really, y'know… Magnify."

The Doctor instantly knew what he was talking about. "That's because it's not a magnifying glass, Captain. More of a looking glass, really. Long story," he said, remembering the device. It was the one that he'd had to use to get Amy out the Two Streams facility. The Doctor remembered that day, how he'd had to leave the old Amy behind, the guilt he'd had afterwards and the discussion with Amy beside the pool later on that night. The memory was from quite a long time ago, but he remembered it all. And that was when it hit him.

_Doctor, I'm waiting._

"No, no," he murmured, widening his eyes and then squeezing them shut. It could just be coincidence, couldn't it? But the handwriting, the messages in the museum… "Stupid Doctor… Stupid, _stupid_ Doctor!"

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Liz asked, the three of them looking at the Time Lord, concerned.

"Shush!" he cried, not caring if he was talking to the bloody queen, "Just shut up! All of you! I need to think!" The three glanced at each other. Rose and Jack had never heard him talk like this before. His past regeneration was never usually this sharp with them. As for Liz, she had seen it once before, when he'd given up hope on being able to save everyone that day and had been about to kill the last of the star whales. They all did as they were told, hoping that whatever was wrong with him, he would tell them as soon as he sorted it out.

The Doctor's mind raced. It was her handwriting. And who else would have known how to reach him? She had seen it firsthand with River a thousand times before. The Ood. Their prophecy was coming true. They were right. He was too late. The Doctor started to panic. His hearts sped up, racing, and his breathing began to pick up. Rory's words echoed in his mind.

"_Stay the hell away from Trenzalore_."

The Doctor's whole universe was collapsing. His one goal, the only promise he had to keep was to always make sure Amy safe. And he'd failed her. He looked up, almost dazed at the other three. "They have Amy," he murmured, soft enough that they had to strain to hear it and just barely could comprehend what they were saying. The Doctor's mouth hung open just the tiniest bit and he sat in silence for a moment before repeating himself, his tone angrier, determined, but also absolutely and completely terrified. "_They have Amy_."

He didn't care what he knew about Trenzalore anymore, what the Silence had done. All he knew was that those messages were Amy's. It was Amy that was trapped on Trenzalore, where he had tried his hardest to keep her away. It didn't matter where or how. It was the fact that she was _there_. The Doctor didn't hesitate this time, pulling the lever. Rose, Jack, and Liz grabbed onto the nearest handhold as they braced themselves, cries coming from the rest of the TARDIS as people were throttled about, caught completely by surprise that they were in the middle of traveling in the time vortex. The Doctor couldn't care about it, though. The game had changed, the stakes becoming the highest he thought they could possibly get. And the last lines of the Oods' prophecy rang through his mind.

"_But he will lose what matters most,  
>The girl who dreamed of stars.<br>And so ends the war  
>On the fields of Trenzalore.<em>"

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	26. I Dreamed I Was Dying, As I So Often Do

**Hey, guys!(: Here with another update! I know some of you reviewers might be confused, because I didn't send a sneak peek, but it's only because I made a last minute decision to post this on THE last day, seeing as December 21st has definitely been a huge part of this story! Also... I thought you might like some good fan fiction to read while you're... Y'know... Dying(: **

**ANYWAYS. This is from the song "The Calendar Girl" by Stars, which just happens to be one of my favorite bands... As you can tell from the songs I steal from to use as my chapter titles(: **

**Remember that I own absolutely nothing. Also, if you've reviewed the last chapter, I will still send you a sneak peek to the next, but you can still review if you'd like. I'd love the feedback(: If you DIDN'T review to the last chapter, you now have another chance at the next little peek! So... Yeah! Enjoy now(: **

"Where the hell are we?" Rory asked. He still wasn't entirely sure what Amy had asked of him, but as he looked around him, he knew it wasn't anything good. They hadn't just used the time vortex to jump through time. They were on a completely different planet! Rory looked up at the red skies that stretched rolling blue hills to a tall city that, even from many meters away, looked dead and dilapidated. Something told the man he was wrong about that last part, mainly because Amy was always getting herself into trouble, and there wasn't any way to not stir up trouble without there being hostile aliens involved.

"Trenzalore," Amy said, turning her head to look at her husband and gave him a confident smile. If she acted like she knew what she was doing, then she knew that he would feel just a tiny bit more at ease. And it worked. She could visibly begin to see him start to calm, but still observing . "The Doctor's somewhere around here and we need to find him."

Rory frowned, starting to walk alongside her towards the grey city. "What's he doing here, then? Does that mean _he_ left _you_?" It didn't seem so appealing to have Amy around now that it had only been the Doctor that made the decision for her.

Amy quickly came up with a clever lie. "No, the TARDIS was stolen," she replied, "And the Doctor was taken with her, but he managed to leave me a clue on where he was before they'd gotten away."

"Which was?"

She stopped fully, Rory screeching to a halt. Amy met him with a serious look. "211212, Rory," she said, "There's been a message written through all of time and space, and I just know it's him. It's coordinates."

"To… Here…" Rory finished, pointing at the sapphire blue grass beneath their feet and looked at Amy for clarification.

"Exactly." There was a moment of hesitation in them both. Amy hated lying to Rory, but she had to do it if she wanted his help, and she did. She also knew that the Silence would kill him if they saw him, and it was better to keep Rory where Amy could see him. "Now, come on, Stupid Face," Amy continued. Rory smiled at the term of endearment, suddenly not caring that he was risking his life again. It was better than being alone at that empty house, the one that Amy couldn't ever call a home with that blue box around. But she still loved him, he knew it. And that was enough to make him follow her into whatever mischief they would most surely get into.

"Right," Rory said with a simple nod, "We've got a Time Lord to save."

* * *

><p>The majority of the people in the TARDIS hadn't expected the sudden loss of gravity as the Doctor launched them into the time vortex. Luckily, there were only a few scrapes and bruises, grabbing onto something to hold onto.<p>

Jack clung to one of the bars surrounding the console and looked at the Doctor, obviously confused and irritated with that fact. "Doctor, what do you mean? How do you know they have Amy?"

"Remember what I told you about the messages being written all throughout time and space?" the Doctor asked, his tone low, but still panicked and fast, "It's Amy. I know it is. I don't know how they took her, maybe after I left her. All that matters is that they have her and I need to save her."

Their old plans didn't measure up anymore. The Doctor had parked the TARDIS just outside Trenzalore's atmosphere. He needed to update their operation. It was a whole different thing with Amy involved. Everything had to be perfect, certain, clear, and concise. The Doctor couldn't take any chances anymore. The stakes were now as high as they could possibly get. Everyone was piling into the console room, filling up and spilling into the couple of hallways. They had an army of maybe three hundred here, personal friends of the Doctors, or, like in the case of the WWII soldiers' cases, borrowed warriors. He didn't know if it was good enough to match the Silence, but it would have to be enough, because gaining numbers wasn't the priority anymore.

His past companions looked at him, concerned. Most of them had never even met this Amelia girl, but it was clear that the Doctor cared for her very much. It was in that moment when they really realized that he wasn't _their _Doctor anymore. He was someone else's, some leggy redhead that was apparently captured on the planet right below them. The Doctor wasn't the big-eared, bald-headed soldier in a leather jacket with a Northern accent that Rose, Jack, and Mickey had met, nor was he the spiky-haired, pinstripe-suit-wearing, charming, ridiculous man that Martha, Rex, and Gwen had met, the one that Rose had truly fallen in love with.

"So, if your friend is down there," Rose said, trying to grasp what the situation fully was, as were the rest of the companions, "What does that mean? "

"It means the stakes are higher," the Doctor replied quietly, but there was rage in his voice. How could he let this happen? Why couldn't he just have one companion that listened to him and stayed safe? Especially Amy. Couldn't she see why he'd had to leave her behind? Didn't she realize how fragile a human could be with their wimpy one-hearted cardiovascular system, and see how much she meant to him? Of course, it wouldn't be his completely impossible Amy Pond if she_ had _actually listened. "It means we have to be more careful now."

"So, the plan is still the same, right?" the blonde asked again.

"Correct." _Rule one: the Doctor lies_. "Will you gather up everyone up? Tell them to get ready for D-Day."

"Doctor, half of the people here haven't _heard _of D-Day," Martha pointed out, "It hasn't happened yet."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, but managed to smile. Good, old Martha. She was always really good with feelings, despite being so logically-minded. He always thought it was because she had so many herself. She was like him in a way. They bottled things up until it all just exploded. His old companion must have known that was exactly what he was trying to do now, bottling it up and waiting for it to break and crack into a burst of rage when he came face-to-face with the Silence.

"Well, they'll get it _eventually_! Now, go on!"

Everyone left, except for John. The Doctor stared at the man, remembering when he had looked like that, with the pinstriped suits and the spiky hair that defied gravity. He didn't mean to toot his own horn, but he could see why all his companions, with the exception of Donna, had been attracted to him. This wasn't what the Doctor was focusing on, though. Instead, he looked at John expectantly, but the look was only returned. "Need something, John?" the Time Lord asked.

"You're lying." It wasn't phrased like a question, though they both could kind of hear it in his voice that it _was_ one. The Doctor didn't answer for a moment and John cracked a half-hearted smirk. "Hard to convince yourself that you're telling the truth, isn't it?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor said breezily, looking away and crossing his arms. It was completely true, but he was in no mood to admit it.

"I can see that brain of ours working everything out," John explained, "You're changing up the plan. My question is what you're going to do now."

He turned his head and looked at the meta-crisis Doctor. "Do you still feel like we're the same person?" he asked, referring to the "our brain" bit.

"Don't deflect."

"Technically, telling me that I'm deflecting is in a way deflecting," the Doctor pointed out.

John shrugged and sighed, copying the Doctor's posture and leaning back against the bar, crossing his arms. "Wouldn't be the first time we found ourselves being hypocritical, don't you think?" He gave the Doctor a stern look, which was strange because he most definitely was younger than him, even if appearance-wise it didn't seem like that. Actually, if the Doctor had the math right, and he most certainly did, John was about two years old. Still, he was a two-year old with the knowledge of eight centuries, still the man that the Daleks called the "Oncoming Storm" out of complete fear. "Now, tell me what you're up to."

He didn't say anything for a few moments, opening his mouth once just to shut it again. The Doctor stared down at his brown leather shoes. He took a breath and said quietly, "I'm going to die here."

"On what authority did you hear that?" John asked, scrunching up his eyebrows in confusion. He knew what the Doctor and everyone else did. He's the man who gets out of every trap, even death. The only thing those two men knew that most didn't was that the Doctor could only get himself out of death. It meant nothing for a companion. And even when he escaped, it'd take another decade or so, but there death would be again, waiting for the Time Lord.

"It's in a prophecy of sorts-"

John snorted, then cleared his throat when he realized it might be a tad unsensitive. "Sorry, but when did we start believing in prophecies?" The Doctor smiled softly. Of course. John wouldn't know. He wasn't there to see the return of the Master, didn't know about the four knocks that signaled the Doctor's death. He wasn't there to figure out the identity of River Song and meet his "death" on Lake Silencio on that early evening in April 2012.

"Trust me, we're still a bit skeptical," the Doctor chuckled, "I had to double check with the Ood before I even started to take it seriously."

"Love a good Ood," John mused.

"I know!" the Doctor agreed, smiling. This reminded him of that day that he had a ganger. It was quite refreshing to talk to someone who understood and agreed with most of what he said. Plus, it wasn't as weird as when he _actually_ talked to himself. "They're civilization is thriving," he continued, "They're working rather fast at rebuilding it, but they're the ones that knew when I was regenerating and they knew about _this_ prophecy, too."

John pursed his lips, brow furrowing even further and his fingers dropped to his pocket, twitching and hesitating on whether he should grab his glasses. He was obviously trying to wrap his head around the prophecy thing, but the Doctor knew that if_ he_ believed it, then so would the man beside him. It might just take a little while. The human opened his mouth. "So!" John said suddenly, "You're going to die. What are we going to do about that?" He knew that the Doctor had to be saved. He had a vital role in the universe, no matter how many times the Time Lord forgot that in his times of self-loathing.

The Doctor sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead. "I'm not getting out this time," he replied, "This is it, John. It really _is_ D-Day." He hated to sound like he was giving up, but it wasn't like John didn't have memories of the Doctor feeling like this before. Still, he decided to explain a little further. "Silence will fall when the question is answered. That silence… It's_ mine_." And it needed to be. The answer to that question… It was dangerous, not just to himself, but to whole planets and galaxies, all of time and space.

"We don't share the same mind, Doctor," John reminded him, then twisted his face up as he corrected himself, "_Well_, I suppose we do. But there's definitely not a wide, direct feed. I can't read _all_ of your thoughts. What's this question?"

"Wait!" the Doctor exclaimed, catching onto a bit of what John had said, "You can't read _all _my thoughts?"

John rolled his eyes. He was starting to realize how cryptic and mysterious he could be, and how that could easily annoy someone. Not that he'd admit that to Rose anytime soon. "Oh, will you just answer the question, Doctor?"

The Time Lord stared at John, green eyes meeting brown. "Doctor Who?"

John was about to tell the Doctor that he should stop playing around, but the way he was looking at him, the seriousness and danger in there. He caught on quickly and his mouth slightly in understanding and fear. "Oh, no…" John remembered. The question they'd been running from their whole life, the question that Rose still asked John sometimes. The Doctor's real name… It was finally catching up with them and he was starting to realize why the Time Lord was giving up. And there was no way he was going to talk him out of it. He couldn't even if he wanted to try. So John said the only thing he could, patting the Doctor's tweed-clad shoulder gently. "I'm sorry."

The Doctor, who was more affectionate than his tenth regeneration pulled the man into a fierce hug and squeezed his eyes shut. It felt better than most people could have managed at a time like this. This man knew everything about him, and he was the only one who understood that this was the Doctor's last trip. He never truly escaped death. It _was_ his constant companion, after all.

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	27. I Swear I'd Never Let Go

**Hey, guys! I REALLY meant to upload this on Christmas, but I had no chance with internet... And then I forgot about the previews. :P Anyways, it's here now! **

**This title is from the song "Oh, Darling!" by Plug In Stereo. It's a little, cute pop song that my sister showed me. Kind of digging it. Anyways, yeah(: Remember that I own nothing and that reviewing means getting a sneak peek! I know I missed one from the last chapter, but that's just because I JUST saw it, and, well... I need to post this chapter. :P SO SORRY! **

**Okay. Done talking. ENJOY!(: **

Amy and Rory neared the fallen city. There was no sign of any sort of destruction. It was like everyone had just left and now time was wearing away at the architecture. The redhead looked around at her, seeing the pink-tinged clouds drift across the sky, and found herself smiling despite the circumstances. Amy wondered if she would ever get used to seeing other worlds, hoping to God she never did. She started to think about what might happen now that she was here on Trenzalore. The Silence weren't fun bosses to work for and she knew that things technically hadn't gone according to plan, but it wasn't like it was Game Over. There was still time left and she could save the universe, stop the Doctor from answering the question. Maybe it didn't even have to involve killing him.

"What do you think happened around here?" Rory asked, breaking her train of thought, "I mean, it's… Dead." It wasn't like he didn't appreciate the time and space thing like Amy. Rory loved seeing new planets. The only thing was that he wasn't running from Earth. He always planned on going back.

Amy ran a hand through her hair and her brow furrowed. "Hadn't thought about that, actually," she replied, "Maybe they just moved planets? I'm sure the Doctor would know."

"Of course," Rory responded sourly, "The Doctor knows everything."

The redhead stopped right there, looking at her husband. He wasn't really hers and her feelings for him were just memories taken from someone else, but it didn't matter. She still felt like he was the only person that Amy could ever trust to not leave her. He was the first boy she had truly loved, and even if those memories of the Macarena, walks in the forest with Rory tripping on a stump as he tried to play it smooth and casual, and the look on his face as he looked at Amy and Melody weren't real, Amy still felt them.

"Are we going to do this right now?" she asked quietly, peeking nervously from the corner of her eye. What was she supposed to tell him? That she'd lied, that Amy had picked the Doctor over him and she wasn't coming back?

Rory sighed. He didn't know if he wanted to get into this either. He had told Amy that he'd wait for her to be ready, and he had meant it. Still, there were doubts swimming around in his head, because she'd never even promised to come back in the first place. Initially, he had just thought it would happen anyways, just because it was Amy, and he was Rory, and that's how it had always been. It was always supposed to be them together. "Better time than any, I suppose," Rory said with a shrug. He looked over at his wife hesitantly. "I think the start to this conversation is definitely ominous, though."

"I love you," she murmured.

He smiled, nodding, "I know." Rory knew he loved her and that she loved him, but it was like what the Doctor had said about people and time-traveling. Things got complicated and twisted. Nothing could be as simple as they wanted to anymore. Rory reached for her hand after that. He knew that Amy always said she loved him when they were in near-death experiences, or when she knew that he was having doubts. Like now, for instance. "I love you too, Amy."

And didn't she know it. Amy gave Rory a small smile and took his hand. Everything was so complicated. She loved Rory, but she loved the Doctor, who still loved River maybe. Also, technically, Amy wasn't in this mess at all. This was her original's situation, and Amy was a bit glad that after all this was over, she would be able escape the confusing jumble that this had turned into. She'd take Melody, maybe even Rory if she convinced him, and they would travel the stars, the Pond family. Just like how it was supposed to be before the Doctor came in and crashed his TARDIS in little Amelia's garden.

Two parts in time that should never have touched. Yes, that was her and the Doctor, alright.

* * *

><p>The Doctor explained to John what had to happen. He told him the same thing that he had told Rose a very long time ago. He was to get everyone out, including Amy, and to forget about the Doctor. John was to take everyone home. They could leave the TARDIS in London on a random street corner, in an alley or between two buildings. It didn't matter. The Doctor just made it very clear that it should be left alone, and then Jack and his team could take Rose and John back to Cardiff, where they could travel through the Rift once more.<p>

John sighed, looking at the Doctor reluctantly. He had the same ties to that blue box that the Time Lord did. He was born in that place, actually, and he hated the thought of their old girl sitting for the rest of time. She could be off doing so much better, whirling about the time vortex. Still, they knew that there was no one that could take care of her like the Doctor, and maybe the TARDIS wouldn't even want to run if she didn't have her little thief at her controls, spinning around and laughing with the strays he brought along the way.

"Are you sure there's no other way, Doctor?" John asked. Could this really be the end for him, the last Time Lord in the universe? "Maybe we could-"

The Doctor laughed a humorless laugh. "I forgot how determined my tenth body was," he mused, "I mean, this body is great and all, but the last one… Blimey. I never wanted that ride to end."

"I'm not him," John said.

"Yes, you are," the Doctor replied instantly, "You're not me, and you weren't quite him at first either, but Rose has definitely fixed that 'hardened soldier' thing right up. But I can see it in you, what I used to see in myself. Which is why you need to get out of Trenzalore as fast as you can, John Noble-Smith. Because you could do _so_ much more."

There was a heavy silence that hung between them. The both of them could feel the finality in this moment. The Doctor knew he was going to die here on Trenzalore and he wasn't going to try to stop it. Before John could try to say something comforting, the others walked in, having gathered everyone up.

"So," Rose smiled, jumping up to the console and sliding her arm around John's waist. He looked down and smiled down at her. There was something sad there that Rose wasn't seeing, her eyes on the Doctor, and the Time Lord hoped that his meta-crisis copy could keep his emotions in. "What have you two been up to?" she asked, looking between the men.

"Something suspicious," Martha answered for them, observing the two. She was _way _too smart for her own good, that one.

"The boss is always doing something suspicious," Mickey laughed, his arm around her shoulder. He looked much more relaxed than his wife, but maybe that was because he hadn't noticed that the Doctor and John were acting anymore weirder than usual.

"Damn," Jack cursed, leaning against the entryway to a hallway, "I was starting to imagine something absolutely filthy. The things you could do with that bow tie…"

The Doctor quickly reached for his bow tie defensively and gulped nervously. "Okay, let's stop there." Or he might actually have to stop wearing his favorite accessory. He brightened then, looking away from John's pity, Martha's scrutiny, and Jack's lustful licking of his lips. "Right! So, who's ready to fight some mean, scary aliens?"

Everyone started clapping and hooting. The Doctor turned to the buttons, wondering how to feel about them all being so excited to fight out there. Even if they didn't know that they were only going to be there long enough to get Amy. The Doctor typed the coordinates in, keeping up the act of being an excited, old time-traveler.

"Well, then," he said as everyone grabbed onto something, knowing by now how badly the TARDIS shook. The Doctor could almost imagine River here, telling him that they wouldn't have to deal with it if he took the blinking brakes off and flicked the blue boringers. He shook that thought, not wanting to think about goodbyes when he had an even bigger one ahead. The Doctor turned to the crowd as his hand slipped onto the lever, grinning. "_Geronimo_!"

* * *

><p>It had started off a regular day. Amy looked at the familiar white walls, sighing. She still hoped that the Doctor was on his way, that he was reading her clues all around the universe and would find her. There was that seed of doubt eating at her, telling her that today was going to be just the same, that it would be like that for every day after. Amy rolled onto her side, lying in bed. She could see the guard through the white bars. He was standing stock still, just like he always had, like all the others had. It was hard to distract her from all the emotional stuff she was going through when there was nothing else interesting. Melody was out doing lessons, and the only guards that Amy had ever befriended, Bert and Leonard, were never assigned her cell again, not since she was dropped off at Trenzalore.<p>

There was absolutely nothing, except her thoughts. Amy was starting to understand how the Doctor felt, being alone in that box. No wonder he called himself a madman. Amy, herself, was going crazy from loneliness and the quiet, of having no company but herself. To top it off, she was still weak from whatever the Silence were doing to her, which just made Amy angry. She had always been a fighter, but now her body was starting to betray her. Even her mind was, the way it kept bringing up things that Amy so desperately wanted to keep locked away.

Movement caught her eye, and suddenly the redhead was more interested. There was someone else coming in. It couldn't really be time for a shift change, could it? Amy had one large window in the room, but it was in the ceiling, so she only ever saw the sky. It was a reddish color, which Amy found beautiful, but it also made her sad. It just reminded her that she was on a different planet away from everyone she loved. Seeing all of time and space just wasn't as exciting without the Doctor with her, especially in the circumstances where she was being held captive.

She didn't move, didn't make any indication that she was watching them. No, it wasn't a shift change. Amy saw a taller, pale man with sharp cheekbones and short, spiky hair come in and whisper to the guard. They both leaned in together. Whatever conversation it was, it was definitely something that they didn't want anyone to overhear. Or maybe just Amy, from the way they had just looked over. When they caught her green eyes, they both looked at each other again. Amy strained to hear, and found that if she actually focused, she could hear them just the tiniest bit. She thought it was a bit strange that her hearing was improving, but it was a tool that Amy wasn't afraid to use.

"… On the scanners," the man with the cheekbones finished, answering a question of the guard's. It was clear that he was trying to explain something very important to him from the urgency in his tone. "We just have to tighten up security."

"What has Perez said, exactly?" the guard asked, "I'm going to need more back-up here, Groff."

The man with the cheekbones, apparently his last name being Groff, nodded. "Perez is well-aware," he replied, "She knows that he would come down here first for…" He trailed off and the two tried to sneak another look at Amy.

"So, she's sending more people over here?" the guard continued.

"She said that he won't come here first because they both know that's exactly what he would do," Groff explained, shrugging, "Some reverse psychology or something, but she said that you should be fine here. I'm coming back here to help, but Perez said that she wants everyone else on the battlefield."

The guard lowered his voice even more and Amy almost wanted to inch closer to try and get what he was saying. He sighed and took off his hat temporarily, scratching the back of his head. And then she heard the three most magical words she'd heard in a long while, almost more so than "Come along, Pond."

"So, he's here." Then she heard four more silly words, mainly because the redhead knew that he was wrong in even hoping he could do this next bit. "Better get ready, then."

Amy rolled onto her back, pulling the blankets up just under her mouth and closed her eyes, pretending to go to sleep. Underneath, she was grinning and happy tears started to leak out of her eyes. A small part of Amy hoped that once she left this place, all this stupid crying would stop. She didn't need to hear any more of the conversation to know what was happening. The Doctor was here. He'd come back for her, just like he always promised. All she had to do was exactly what she always did. Amy just had to hold on wait for her Raggedy Man.

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	28. When Darkness Falls and Surrounds You

**Hey, guys! So, I know the chapters have been getting shorter, and it's mainly just because I've been so busy with school and everything. Still, I didn't want to take months to update, so I'd write these past few up when I could, and I just feel bad for half-neglecting this. SO, I'm going to make them longer again. This one is a tad longer, and I just wanted to say sorry! I'm not giving up on this or putting it on the very back burner anymore. xP **

**This title is from the song "Follow Me" by Muse, which is a total 11/Amy song if you look at the lyrics. Remember that I don't own anything. BBC has that precious gift. And... Review to get a sneak peek(: **

**OH! Also. Just thought I'd give a little shout-out. My friend is writing an 11/Amy, and it's a really interesting AU kind of thing. You should all take a look at it! Her username on here is QuiteRightPond, and you can find her in my "Favorite Authors." The story is called "Plus etrange que la fiction (Stranger Than Fiction)," and it's just starting, but I like it and you should check it out(: **

**Okay. I'm done talking and fic rec-ing now. You may now proceed to the next chapter. Enjoy!(: **

No one in the TARDIS moved. The Doctor knew the Silence was aware of his presence and he wanted to make sure that none of his friends were taken when they landed. He had to use himself as a distraction, though the Time Lord knew he would be much more than that. He didn't plan on making a grand escape. Everyone else, who were already unsure of losing their leader, didn't think that using him as bait was a good idea. The Doctor still wasn't sure how he felt about being the head of an army again, but this wasn't the first time that he would have started a war for Amy. What was Demon's Run, after all?

"Doctor, are you sure about this?" Rose asked. She was one of the main people against this.

The Doctor gave her a soft look, putting a hand on her shoulder and smiled. It was gestures like these that made his companions remember how old of a man he really was. "Absolutely!" he said, trying to bring in some more cheer, "Trust me, Rose. "

She continued to eye him with uncertainty, but that was the life of the companion. They pushed the Doctor's limits, but in times like these, when the stakes were high and losing was more possible than ever, they always looked to the Doctor. And they always trusted him to get them out of it. Rose sank back with the rest of the army. Most of the group had sunk back into the front rooms, waiting for the time they were to go out, while Rose and John stood at the console, ready to fly the TARDIS away once the Doctor was taken.

They were all told that the Silence only wanted the Doctor, so they were to be fooled into thinking that he was alone. And then they were to find Amy. It was his only direction and he trusted his friends enough to know that they would respect his wishes in putting her as their first priority. They were to get Amy, find the Doctor, and then they were to get out. They were to do what he was always so good at: run. Because the end of the whole universe was coming. At least until the Doctor died for good.

"Remember what I said," the Doctor said as his hand rested on the door knob, "Check your palms constantly. I put in the recording devices, and it should blink red if there's been one. You won't remember making it, which is why you have to check it. And, Martha?"

"Yeah, Doctor?" the dark-skinned woman called from one of the hallways, poking her head out. Her eyes were sad, like she could see this all ending badly, but the young doctor was still hopeful. He had saved the universe before, countless times. He could do it again, couldn't he?

"You give everyone a black marker like I told you?" The Doctor hadn't been able to go into the Silence very much. He couldn't really, seeing as he hardly ever remembered them. All he could tell them was that they were a religious organization that had it out for him. It was a whole army and they were intent on seeing the Doctor's death. Of course, then everyone was curious as to why. Madame Vastra, Jack, and John were the only ones that seemed to understand the Doctor's explanation of him getting too big. Others were afraid of the Time Lord, the power he held. He was responsible for so much life, and at the same time, so much death. There were some that just focused on the latter bit.

Martha nodded. "And I told them what you said," she answered, "About seeing the Silence and marking it down. I think some are still a little confused about it."

"They'll get it when they see them," the Doctor sighed. He had no time to prep everyone for this. Their plan originally was just to fight 'til the end. With Amy here, it was different. Because now he couldn't focus on himself and stopping the secret of his name from getting revealed. That wasn't his main focus. Now it was getting _her_ out.

He looked back at all his friends, the volunteers, and waved slowly, trying to smile bravely. He straightened his bow tie, then brought his hand to the handle again and turned it. It was always worse when he knew his death was coming. He'd miss this body, even if it was always so gangly and awkward and childish. This was Amy's Raggedy Doctor, the man who came crashing in with his bow tie and distracted you by saying clever things and demanding fezzes, jammy dodgers, or fish fingers and custard. The Doctor took a deep breath. Even after so many times, he would _never_ get over dying. But this death, the Doctor knew, would be his last.

* * *

><p>Amy didn't know where the headquarters were. She was sure that they were somewhere in the center of the city, but that information had never been programmed into her. All she had were past memories and coordinates to Trenzalore. She knew she had to find it fast. It must be morning, but Amy knew they were still losing daylight. She didn't know what she was doing, and it was clear that Rory was starting to notice it.<p>

"Are you sure we go this way?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Amy replied, trying to sound confident.

"Well, it's just that we already passed this building three times," Rory answered, pointing towards a white building with long, twisting columns that led to a metallic roof that glimmered in the red skies.

Amy started to get embarrassed and slightly flustered at being caught lying. She looked up at the building beside them. She remembered that they hadn't been able to read the sign etched at the top. They hadn't been able to read anything actually, seeing as it was in a different language. The characters weren't even familiar. It was completely alien. Except for this time. Amy raised her eyes to look even higher and saw the strange letters start to shake and shift, forming two words: _Trenzaloran Hall of Science_.

"Rory, you see that?" she asked, her long, slender finger pointing up to the sign. Rory looked to where Amy was indicating, and his mouth opened a little when he realized he could actually read something here.

"I don't understand," he said, looking over to his wife for answers, "Why can I read that?"

She knew why. The TARDIS was there, and she was back in the minds, helping Amy and Rory decipher every single language. Amy felt her heart drop. She knew what this meant. The TARDIS was here. The _Doctor _was here.

* * *

><p>The first thing he felt was a sharp pain in his stomach as the butt of a gun hit his torso. The Doctor doubled over, falling to his knees on the ground. He looked up, the brown flop of hair hanging from his defeated face not able to blind him from the fact that the Time Lord was absolutely surrounded by soldiers. They all their eye patches on and it was clear that they were the ones fighting against him. He looked around him, taking in his surroundings. This place looked like it was in the middle of being fixed up, and it was dark, save for the few newly-installed light bulbs hanging from the ceiling.<p>

"Sorry, Doctor," a woman's voice said. The Doctor looked up to see the circle of soldiers part and reveal a woman with caramel skin and dark hair, the color of ground coffee beans. She had an eye patch like everyone else, but she was dressed differently. It was similar to what Madame Kovarian wore, a sort of stylishly utilitarian dress that looked like it was made of two parts. There was the long-sleeved business jacket, a deep purple with large, black buttons going up the middle and hugged her torso. Then it became a little girly towards the waist, looking more like the bottom to a teenage girl's prom dress with the ruffles. Still, she managed to make it look quite intimidating. Her thin lips turned into a condescending smirk. "I was under the impression that you weren't going to make it. If I'd known, I would have at least cleaned up a bit."

"Madame Perez, I take it," the Doctor growled. He remembered what River and Amy had said about her. This was Madame Kovarian's replacement.

Her poisonous smile became even bigger. "I see no introductions are necessary. That's fine. We have no time to waste anyways. I'm not like Kovarian, Doctor," she sighed, "I won't let you slip away this time. Though, I do plan on having some sadistic fun of my own. "

"Enough," he said, his voice low. His eyes grew dark, the storm brewing behind his green irises. His lips turned into a set frown and his hands clenched into tight fists around the guards who were holding him up. This was the look that could fear whole planets. "Where is Amy?"

"Funny," Perez replied, tilting her head slightly, her eyes flickering towards the blue box right behind him. She had thought that the ganger Amy she had sent to the Time Lord was hiding in there, but it seemed like the Doctor wasn't aware of the situation quite yet. She wasn't sure yet, but she wanted to be able to evaluate the situation some more before she revealed anything. "I was wondering the same exact thing."

He knew that he was going to die here, that they had him, but the Doctor couldn't let them have Amy. His voice got even more dangerous, speaking levelly, but still keeping it quite low. He wanted to let them know that they were seeing the calm before the storm, the very big storm. "I know you have her," he said, "Don't play games with me."

"Don't intimidate me," Perez responded, giving a short laugh. It was funny how he was clearly outnumbered, but he thought that they could try and call the shots here. "Tell me Doctor, do you think you know _everything_ about our Amelia Pond?"

The Doctor didn't know what she was playing at, but he didn't have time for all this manipulation and mind games. "If you've hurt her-!"

"You'll what?" Madame Perez asked, "Hurt me?_ Kill_ me? And then you and your silly companion wonder how a whole organization could hate you." She had a reason for hating the Doctor. Everyone fighting for the Silence did. They had all been people around the universe that had experienced the brunt side of what happened when the Doctor stuck his nose in and interfered with the lives of others. It was his fault that she had lost everything, and she would make sure that the Doctor knew exactly how she had felt all those years ago.

"Just tell me where she is_. Please_." The Doctor knew that begging was useless, that Perez wasn't going to give him what he wanted, and it was only hurting his pride and dignity. But maybe she would drop a hint, and anything would be better than what the Doctor had at that moment on Amy's whereabouts, which was absolutely nothing.

"Take him to the Tower," Perez said, her dark, almost soulless eyes still staring into the Doctor's green. There was so much pleasure he saw in them, sick happiness that she had caught him. "The execution will begin. And take care of that box. I want to make sure our little project isn't hiding in there."

The Doctor's brow furrowed and he looked at Perez with confusion. Little project? Something was bugging him, something big. It was that feeling he always got when he was faced with a problem and was staring directly at the answer, but couldn't quite grasp it. He didn't have a chance to ask about it, to worm the words out of Perez's mouth. The two guards on either side of the Doctor hefted him up roughly, dragging through the large double doors made of some rusted, metallic material. Perez was ahead of him, and the Doctor turned his head to check on the TARDIS, hoping his friends would be able to get out of this safely.

* * *

><p>"Want to go in?" Amy asked, looking at Rory and motioning with her eyes towards the science hall. If the TARDIS was here, then her position was already compromised. She needed to come up with a new plan, needed to buy time. There was only one thing on that battlefield that Amy really wanted back, and that was Melody. If she could figure out a way to get her, then she could get out of there. Amy knew that the Silence wouldn't be able to kill the Doctor, not so easily, and she was afraid of her daughter getting mixed up in it. After all, she <em>was <em>the "woman who killed the Doctor." What if they'd gotten the timing wrong? What if _this _was her moment? Time travel always made everything so complicated and jumbled.

"The 'Trenzaloran Hall of Science'?" Rory read, uncertain. He didn't' really like the feeling this whole planet gave him. He just wanted to find the Doctor, get the TARDIS, and go back home. Hopefully, Amy would stay with him this time. "Why would we want to go in _there_? Can't we find the Trenzaloran Pub or something, instead?"

The redhead giggled, but linked arms with him and led him up the white-rock stairs. The Trenzaloran architecture was actually very cool, though it made Amy a bit scared that everything was going to topple over. Most of the buildings had long, spiraling columns made of glass. It supported the metal, shining roofs, but the glass seemed so thin and fragile, Amy was sure that just one touch could break it and send the whole building tumbling. The actual buildings were made of what seemed to be mirrors, though there was a sort of tint to it, where Amy could see just the tiniest bit of the building inside. Age had affected the structures, though. The metal was turning orange with rust and the glass was scratched and dull.

They got to the front doors, the twisted handles made of the same material as the roof, rough with the rust and decay. Amy touched it gently. The metal was ice cold and some of the orange came off it onto her hand. She stuck out her tongue, but continued to pull on it. She managed to get it half-open before the handle broke off.

"Amy, I think this is a bad idea," Rory said from behind her, crossing his arms, "Let's just go find the Doctor."

"Oh, shut up," she sighed, "We'll only be here for a couple minutes."

She didn't want to argue with Rory anymore, so Amy squeezed between the gap, using her whole body to open it the rest of the way. The hinges were also rusted, which just added to the difficulty, but after a minute or two, and Rory joining in, they got it all the way. "What if an alarm goes off or something?" he asked, still worrying. He didn't know what it was, but this place just made him nervous.

"Who cares?" Amy replied, "This place is abandoned, remember?"

Rory groaned, wishing, for once, he could win a stupid argument against Amy. He knew it was pointless though, and had to do what he usually did: follow her, get into trouble, and probably die along the way.

When they first walked in, they were greeted by a great, big gust of stale air. There was something in it, something that was familiar to them, but also something that they both felt _shouldn't _be familiar. Amy looked back at Rory as they made their way inside. The only light in the room was coming from the tinted windows, and Amy saw that it _was _like a double-sided mirror, seeing outside clearly. Neither spoke, both afraid to. There seemed to be a careful silence here, one that hadn't been broken for thousands of years. It was only their breathing, their footsteps on the ground, and the sound of Amy's hand scrabbling along the smooth, cool walls to find a switch.

There didn't seem to be one though, and so the two continued, it getting darker as they got further into the room. Soon, Amy and Rory could feel things at their feet, probably pieces of furniture. Amy wondered how dirty this place must be, but she still didn't say anything aloud, just sliding her feet around and concentrating on not falling. They couldn't see a thing anymore and she didn't want to fall and get lost in this place.

The air was still thick with that musty odor, and no sound was made until there came a yelp from Rory. Amy turned around, fast. Was there something in here? "Rory?" she asked, the fear quite evident in her voice as she walked towards where the sound had come from. When had Amy gotten farther ahead? "Rory, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he replied, and Amy looked a couple feet to the ground. It was dark, not getting hit by the light by the window anymore. She heard him scramble up, and let out a sigh of relief. "Not dead, anyways. Just tripped. I landed on my torch though. Forgot I had it." Rory was always Mr. Prepared, something he got from his father, who happened to carry a shovel everywhere. Rory always had a first aid kid and his flashlight.

More relief flooded through Amy as she saw his torch flicker to life. She smiled, moving over to him. "Wait, Amy!" Rory suddenly said, taking an intake of breath, "Don't move!"

"What?" Amy asked, looking around her, but she didn't see anything. Rory lifted his flashlight up to her face. "What is it?"

"I… Um, you're not going to like this."

"Just _tell _me," she ordered, getting a tad irritated.

Rory took in a deep breath, and pointed the light back down at Amy's feet. "Look down."

The redhead did so, lowering her head slowly. There was probably ten feet between her and Rory, and the light penetrated the darkness on the floor. Suddenly, she knew what the musty, sickeningly familiar smell was, what Rory had tripped on. There weren't bits of furniture on the floor…

"Oh my God," she breathed, eyes scanning the three things that lay haphazardly, at different angles, between her and her husband. Amy felt like she was going to throw up. "Rory, please tell me those aren't dead bodies. Tell me we haven't been stepping on_ corpses_ for the past ten minutes!"

Rory took a moment to answer, staring down at the figures. They weren't human, that was for sure. Still, the fact that they were different species didn't really make a difference. "I told you you weren't going to like it."

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	29. The Reason For This Darkness

**Hey, guys! Sorry! I planned on getting this up this weekend, but I ended up injuring my foot and getting really sick and... Ugh. It was just horrible timing. Now, I want you all to know that there is this... Reveal in here. And I'm sure many questions will be raised. SO, if you're surprised and thinking "well, how is this possible?!" by the end of it... Don't worry. I'll explain everything, whether it's in an A/N or the actual story. It'll probably be the latter, though... **

**ANYWAYS LET'S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF. Well, at least the ROUTINE stuff. So maybe it's not good? Routine is boring after all. WOW. I'm feeling rambly today. I think it's because I can't actually talk since my voice is out. So, now I'm taking it out on you poor folk. :P Sorry 'bout that. Let's just get on with this, shall we? The chapter title comes from the song "Lost, So Lost" by Hawthorne Heights, which I've just started listening to, actually.**

**Remember that I own nothing and that giving me a review gives you a sneak peek! I really don't like fishing for reviews. It's actually just because I like talking to you all... Don't judge my lack of a social life, okay? **

**OKAY NOW THIS A/N IS OVER(: SO YOU MAY ENJOY! **

By the time Melody was returning from her lessons, she had already heard the news that was buzzing around. The Doctor was here. The little girl felt nervous, in more ways than one. She knew that Madame Kovarian was pleased with the fact that the ganger Amy hadn't managed to kill the Doctor by the time he reached Trenzalore. She would probably be calling Melody soon to talk about their plan. She knew she was the Plan B, and with Plan A being a complete flop, the girl knew she was up to bat.

Then there was her mother. As soon as she walked into their shared cell, she could feel the energy coming off the woman. She was sitting on the bed, twiddling her thumbs, but Melody saw the small smile she was hiding on her face. "Mummy?" she asked, not making a motion to sit down, "I'm back."

Amy looked up, and her smile got even bigger. It was becoming harder to hide now. "Melody," she breathed, standing up with her and looking carefully over at the guard, who was busy stuffing his face with a sandwich. She dropped her voice to a low whisper. "The Doctor's here."

Melody felt a lump in her throat, and painfully swallowed it down. What did this mean for her? Was this going to be like the last time, or did Amy really want to be with her? Was she going to leave her behind again, left all alone? And what about Eliza? "I know," she said, giving a small nod and staring down at her feet.

The redhead frowned, hitting the girl's arm lightly. She was starting to feel more like herself again, though all this standing was making her weak again. Amy started to worry. How was she supposed to get out of here if she could barely stand for more than two minutes? "Oi, what's with the frown?" she asked quietly, "This is a _good_ thing. We can get out of here!"

"Do you mean it this time?"

That was when she got it. Amy knelt so that she was down to eye level with her daughter and lifted her chin up, smiling gently. "Hey, you," Amy said, "I'm your mum, aren't I?"

"Yes," the girl answered.

"Then I guess that means it's my job to make sure you get out of here safely, yeah?" she continued, then kissed Melody's cheek, "No Pond left behind. Ever. Got it?"

"Got it," Melody repeated, starting to smile as she turned to the good, old faith that she always had for her mother.

"You two!" the guard called, looking over and seeing the two in a quiet conversation, "No whispering!"

Amy looked quickly over at the guard before switching her gaze back to Melody. "We just have to figure a way out of here," she murmured one last time.

"Oi!" the guard shouted again, "_No _whispering!" This caused the Amy to roll her eyes. It must look suspicious to him. With the Doctor somewhere around here, everyone was feeling on edge, especially him. After all, he was guarding the Doctor's girlfriend and her daughter, all by himself. That was definitely enough to make any man in the universe shake in his boots.

The two girls sat down on their separate beds, both with conspiratorial looks on their faces as they tried to plan an escape. Not that it was very hard. There was one guard and two Ponds. The outcome wasn't really that hard to predict. Melody turned her head to look towards the guard. He was still working on his lunch, glancing over every couple of minutes or so on his prisoners. Whatever she did would have to be fast.

Melody's eyes lit up as her hands moved to her pillowcase. She remembered that she had stolen something from her class when she had been taking Chemistry lessons. Technically it wasn't stealing though. _Melody _was the one that had made it, after all. She felt the familiar feel of the plastic, circular container. She exhaled deeply, knowing what she had to do. Melody wasn't sure if this was going to work, but it was worth a try.

Amy watched the girl curiously, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. Until she saw what was Melody's hands. "Is that lip gloss?" she asked. It looked like one she would probably use when she was twelve, one that was pink, speckled with a bunch of glitter, and probably tasted like cotton candy. She didn't know why Melody was playing with it though. Sure, they'd missed out on a lot of bonding time, but was it really time for a mother-daughter makeover?

The strawberry blonde-haired girl nodded just slightly, her eyes widening and telling Amy to keep quiet. She rubbed some on her lips quickly, knowing it wouldn't affect her own DNA, then walked over to the door, speaking through the bars in the large window next to it. Amy continued to eye her daughter. "Excuse me, sir?" she asked politely, subconsciously rubbing her lips together. Melody reminded herself to be careful. She was dealing with some fragile stuff.

"What d'ya want?" the guard responded, turning his head, but not his full body.

"Can you help me?" she asked, laying her "sweet, little girl" voice on thick, "I need your help."

The guard turned his full attention to Melody, though his hands stayed on his gun. He knew what this girl was training to be. "Help with what?" he asked.

"I'm hurt, sir," she said, her voice starting to crack a bit, "I told my mother that the Doctor wasn't coming for her and she hurt me. Please, sir. "

He looked over at Amy, who had been listening the whole time and quickly looked away. She didn't know how to compose her face, mainly because she had no idea what the hell was going on. All she knew was that she was _quite _proud of how well her daughter could lie to save her own hide. A chip off the old block. The guard opened the door and went into the cell, going at eye level with the girl and moving his gun so that it was behind him. He knew this wasn't a wise choice, but it wasn't like the girl was armed. And, besides, his gun was now out of reach.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked, "I can get Madame Kovarian to come and separate you from Prisoner 000007." The guard didn't call them by their names. Familiarity with prisoners only got you into trouble. But he wasn't cold-hearted enough to sit there and let a little girl get abused by her psychotic mother.

"On my arm, sir," Melody answered, showing the light bruising she had gotten from physical training the day before.

The guard peered at it. It was definitely in the shape of a hand, but it seemed much bigger, like a man's. He looked over at Amy again, who was still keeping her eyes focused elsewhere. He thought it was out of shame. The guard remembered his own mother. The Doctor had come and "rescued" their small, humanoid planet once. All with the help of a young girl, who he ended up leaving behind. She was never the same again. She couldn't look at her husband or her four children anymore, not like she used to, before the Doctor showed her there was more to life. She left less than a year later.

"Doesn't seem so bad," he said, turning her arm over again, "Looks like it's forming into a bruise though. I'll send a message and ask for the next available person to bring you some ice. I would call Madame Perez, but she's currently engaged in something."

Melody gave the man a smile and nodded. "Oh, that's alright," she said, kissing him on the cheek, "Thanks so much, sir. Oh, and I'm sorry."

The guard frowned, starting to feel a little dazed and confused. "Sorry for what?"

Melody shrugged, maintaining her sweet expression. "You'll see," she answered.

Then, he heard her calling for Amy to get out of there. Everything started to spin, the image of Melody still frozen in place, even though she was already moving away. The little girl's smile slowly turned into that of the smile of his mother's, the one she gave him before the Doctor came in and ruined his life. The guard smiled back, hearing the fading sound of feet running out of the room in the back of his mind. "_Mummy_…" he murmured, reaching towards her, "I missed you."

* * *

><p>"I think we found the natives," Amy said, looking down at the corpses. They weren't human; that was for sure. They had some humanoid characteristics, but they were clearly much taller, slender, and from Rory's light, they could see how translucent their skin was. Amy could see faintly every vein, a light brown-green shade. "What do you think happened to them?"<p>

"I don't know," Rory answered, kneeling down beside one as his nursing skills kicked in, "I don't see any visible damage… It has to be something internal." He noticed three eyelids, all in a straight row across the face. They must have had some pretty good peripherals. He observed the bodies. The fact that this place had remained undisturbed and kept cool was probably the only reason that their bodies weren't fully decayed, but their skin was still shriveled and dried, every part of them lacking color.

Amy didn't try to even move next to Rory. Dead bodies weren't really her thing. Instead she looked around in the darkness, sighing. "Well, something tells me the answer is somewhere in here. I think we should find out."

"What about the Doctor?" he asked.

She hid her face from Rory, still looking in a different direction. Amy didn't want to explain to him why she suddenly wasn't so keen on finding the Doctor. She was buying time. Amy didn't know what she was going to do when she saw him, and that was troublesome enough. She loved the Doctor. She was sure of it. It wasn't her love. They were copied from the real Amy and were probably completely artificial, but Amy still felt it. And she knew how hard it was going to be if she killed him, her Raggedy Man. But it was either that or let him bring down the whole universe with the oldest secret in the universe. Why was she always so terrible at making decisions? Why did it always have to be Amy's choice?

"We'll get to him," she replied after a few moments, composing her face into a casual smile as she looked over at her husband, "I think whatever's in here might help, anyways. Do we ever stumble into something un-useful?"

"Right, let's go then." Rory stood up, nodding. From what Amy had told him, the Doctor was in trouble. He also knew from past experiences that that Time Lord had a knack of getting out of whatever dangerous situation he got into.

* * *

><p>"You <em>have<em> to tell me where she is!" the Doctor shouted again. He was dropped to the ground by the guards, who then moved to the outer edge of the room. It was a small room, and had involved a teleport to take them up to the tower. The whole room was made of some kind of stone, cool to the touch, with metal columns going up to the walls for additional support. All the walls were made of glass, but they were tinted and darkened the view just a tad. The Doctor could see red skies and buildings that were much smaller than them. How high up were they?

"Doctor, _really_," Perez sighed, "I don't have to do anything you ask of me. You're _my _prisoner now, remember?"

He gritted his teeth, getting up off his knees, though his hands had since been cuffed. "You're right. You have me. You don't need her anymore," he said, "Now, let her go and leave her alone!"

Perez tilted her head thoughtfully. "Here we are about to kill you, and all you can talk about is Amelia Pond," she said, "Very interesting. Though hardly surprising, mind you. What _does _surprise me is why my plan didn't work…"

The Doctor frowned. "What do you _mean _it didn't work?" he asked, "I'm here, aren't I? What more did you want?"

Perez smiled. "Oh, I wanted you _dead_, Doctor, before you could ever reach Trenzalore," she replied, "But no matter. I have you now. Better late than never, yes?"

Suddenly, she snapped her head to the left, listening to someone. The Doctor felt the urge to look too, but he had a feeling that he already had and just couldn't remember. Perez pursed her lips, then frowned. She nodded, then looked straight at the Doctor. "Doctor, explain to me why your TARDIS has all of a sudden vanished?"

"How about an answer for an answer?" he asked, smirking. It felt nice to finally have some sort of upper hand in the conversation.

"That counts as yours," Perez agreed, now raising an eyebrow, "Now, what happened to the TARDIS?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I think you _know _what happened," he smiled, "The TARDIS left. Hates staying in one place for too long, the old girl. Now, where's Amy?"

"I suppose that involves knowing which _one _you speak of," she said, giving the Doctor as vague an answer as he did.

"What do you mean?"

Perez clucked her tongue. "Ooh, Doctor. Didn't you ever learn to take turns?" she asked teasingly, "Who's flying it?"

"She's a '_she_,'" the Time Lord corrected, but answered her question anyways, "I'm not sure who's flying it, really. I left a specific person in charge, but no one really listens to this face. To any of my faces, really."

"You're going to have to start giving me straight answers, Doctor."

"Only when you do the same," he returned. The Doctor thought about this next question. He wanted to know what she was talking about earlier about Amy. He needed to find out where she was. But the Doctor knew she wasn't going to open up about that unless he opened up about who was in his TARDIS, which would just endanger all his friends. So, he went a different route. "Why are you a part of the Silence?"

Perez obviously hadn't been expecting that, smiling at the unexpected turn on the conversation. "What?" she asked.

"Oh, I know what you all are," he said in a low voice, showing just a little bit of the anger that was still raging inside him, "A religious organization hell-bent on my death. I know why, too. 'Oldest question in the universe' ring a bell?" The Doctor paused, before continuing. "You're one of their main supporters. There has to be a reason you joined the cause. _So_… Why do _you _want me dead?"

She didn't speak for a moment, and the Time Lord watched closely as the emotions ran through her face. Usually, Perez just looked amused at everything or deadly serious. She always had a mask, and the Doctor felt a bit sick to find a similarity between the woman across the room and himself.

"You never met me," Perez said finally, "However, the rest of my family were unfortunate enough to meet you and your Amy Pond, and that idiot boy of hers."

"Ah, Rory," the Doctor interjected, smiling fondly. Hadn't seen _him _in a while. He hadn't tried taking him to Trenzalore anyways, wanting Rory to be there for Amy if he didn't make it back. Plus, he knew he would have been absolutely angry with the Doctor for not protecting her better. Not that it mattered, seeing as Rory was the one that had seen her last before she disappeared.

"I don't_ care_ what his name is," Perez barked, "_You _killed my family!_ You _ended my people! And now I will end _yours_, Time Lord, before you destroy any more lives!"

The Doctor looked at Madame Perez curiously. He didn't recognize her. It wasn't that he thought she was un-important. It was just hard to remember everyone that he met in the last 900-some years of traveling the universe. "Who _are _you?" he asked.

"_My _turn!" she shouted, becoming angrier. She took a step towards the Doctor. Someone must have said something because she moved her head to the right again, then smoothed her features. Perez nodded once more. She cleared her throat, moving so that she was just mere centimeters away from the Doctor. Her mouth curled into a snarl, her voice low. "Did you listen to her words, Doctor? Don't you _remember _us? Do you _dream _of us? The species that you _kicked _while they were down."

He continued to stare at Madame Perez. His mind raced to match a face to hers. He had never met her, only her family. Someone who looked similar to her, perhaps? She didn't give him much more than a minute to figure it out. "Maybe you remember my mother, Sophia Calvierri. 'Sister of the Water' _ring a bell_?"

* * *

><p>They could hear the door being broken into. Rose and Martha exchanged a glance before they both looked back to Jack and John. He nodded. They had heard the Doctor shouting outside the door for Amy, but his voice had long since quieted, fading as they dragged him to wherever they were taking him. "Time to go, everyone!" he whispered, then gave everyone a smile. Leave it to Jack to take the tension out of a situation that involves aliens you can't remember and are bent on the Doctor and all his friends' deaths. "Buckle up, everyone. This should be a very bumpy ride."<p>

John couldn't help but grin back at the brunette man beside him, and clicked the controls. The TARDIS was differently composed than he remembered, and even though he wasn't really the thief that the beautiful machine had stolen away, she whispered sweet things in his ears. Well, directions. Still, John's single heart ached as the memories of the Doctor and the TARDIS, traveling all over space, flooded back to him. "Haven't said this in a while, but…" John said, moving to the lever, pulling it down as he yelled, "_Allons-y_!"

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	30. You're So Close But Still A World Away

**Hey, guyss... :) Remember that time that I took forever to update? But you loved me anyways because then I wrote something very nice? Wow. Me tooo... GOOD TIMES! **

**Now! Since that awkward moment is over, it's time to get on with the rest of our usual junk(: FIRST OFF. CHAPTER TITLE. "Crazy For You" by Madonna. That and "Material Girls" are the only songs that I like from her. But I'm really feeling retro, lately. Like, if I had enough energy, I would go find a Billy Joel song, because I'm really digging him. And "99 Luftabalons." But that's German and totally unrelated from the story. :P**

**SECOND AND THIRD OFF. I own nothing, absolutely nothing and also, I must remind you that reviewing to the chapter gets you a sneak peek of the next one! Which, hopefully, will take much less longer. It's just that there were so many POVs and UGGHH SORRY AGAIN. **

**OKAY FOURTHLY... ENJOY!**

"Melody Pond!" Amy gasped as they ran out of the cell room, "No more kissing from you, got it? I mean it! Not until you're eighteen!" She had never really had a chance to be a mother, but Amy had enough skills to know that she didn't want her 10 year-old daughter running around kissing boys with her hallucinogenic lip gloss.

"Eighteen?" Melody echoed, looking back at her mother with a smile on her face, the guard's gun hunched underneath her small arm, "Mummy, I've read your files, remember? I know what you were doing at that age."

Amy was at a loss there. When she was eighteen, she had already had a few boyfriends herself and had just gotten her kissogram job. "Oi, don't argue with me," she said, as they stopped towards the end of the hall.

The two looked at each other for a moment. Amy hadn't been outside of that cell in months. She didn't know what to do with herself, feeling overwhelmed. She also felt really tired. They were going to have to take some breaks along the way. Simultaneously, the girls both broke out into smiles. Because they both knew this wasn't going to be the last time that Melody used hallucinogenic cosmetics. "You are so much like me," Amy laughed, grabbing her daughter's hand, "Your dad wouldn't know what to do with the two of us."

Melody giggled, squeezing her mum's hand and then turning to look at their paths. They could either turn right or keep going straight. Unlike Amy, Melody had been out of the cell and she knew this place quite well. Going right would lead to the main hall, and going straight was a dead end, meant to trap someone if they didn't know their way around, making them go through an endless maze. "We have to turn right," she said.

"Are you sure?" Amy asked.

She nodded. "The front door is exactly pointed north," she explained, "And the rule of this building is never to turn left. If we just keep a sense of direction, then it should make things easier."

"Okay, and your sense of direction says that-" Amy started.

"Straight is actually left, and right is actually straight," Melody finished, giving an affirming nod.

"And you know where we're going?"

"The Tower," Melody replied, "That's where they hold the executions."

Amy didn't like how her daughter knew this, how she had grown up with an execution room being such a casual thing. There was nothing she could do about it now though, and now her main priority was getting the Doctor and Melody out alive. Amy shrugged. "Alright, Captain," she said, smiling, "Lead the way!"

* * *

><p>"Amy, we're lost," Rory said for the fifteenth time as they navigated through the darkness of the room. They had been searching for a while now, but had only managed in finding stairs that spiraled up. Amy had seen a directory a minute or two ago, but they didn't even know what they were looking for, so it was pretty pointless.<p>

"No we aren't, Stupid," Amy replied quickly, a little further up than Rory. She pointed to a sign on a bookshelf that said what genre it was. "'Scientific Library," she read, looking towards the torch and smirking.

Rory rolled his eyes. Since when was she so good with libraries? He remembered Amy only ever using the school library once every term, when they had to get new textbooks. "This is pointless," he said, "It smells funny in here, and we're going to die in here, because we don't know how to get out."

"Oh, hush it, you," Amy said, moving along the books. Her fingers danced across the spines. "Shine the light on the books, will you?"

Rory did so, following close behind Amy, looking over the titles. There were many, many different books. The shelves went up and were twice as big as Amy, made of some sort of dark wood that was almost pitch black. "TrenzaPad and All It's Apps, The Trenzaloran Age of Biochemical Engineering, The Truth: Our Next Big Weapon, Unique Medication-"

"'Wait, go back to the truth one," Amy said, her eyebrows knitting together, "That one actually sounds interesting, don't you think?"

"I was actually pretty interested with the TrenzaPad and all its apps," Rory replied sarcastically. Still, he handed her the torch, taking the book of the shelf. There was a thick layer of dust on the spine and Rory blew on it. Both him and Amy started coughing, the latter smacking the former on the arm as he opened it up and flipped through the first few pages. Amy kept the light trained on it, unable to see anything but the confusion on Rory's face.

"What is it?" she asked.

He pursed his lips, flipping through a couple more pages. Then, Rory looked up, meeting Amy's eyes with his own. "It's just about some flower," he shrugged, then tilted the book for her to look. "See? There's some diagrams and it mentions some scientist bloke." Rory didn't think it was anything too interesting, and switched it for the flashlight with Amy. "Now, can we get out of here?" he asked.

Amy sighed, setting the book back down on the shelf and nodding. Maybe she was wrong. Perhaps they really did just stumble in somewhere random. In any case, she knew now that there was no putting it off. She had to go back to the Silence, admit that she didn't have the chance to kill the Doctor. It could possibly lead to her death, but Amy was sure that if she kept promise, if she killed him , on Trenzalore, then maybe she'd get the happy ending she'd been working for. It was time to face the music. "Let's go, Idiot."

* * *

><p>They didn't know where they were going. The whole group was told that the TARDIS would, hopefully, take them exactly where they needed to go. As the room stilled, everyone started to stand slowly. Liz Ten stood up, looking towards the door as everyone tried to get their bearings. She headed for the door, wanting to see outside. "Where are we?" she asked aloud.<p>

"I just put in what the Doctor told me to," John shrugged, looking rather interested in what was going on outside as well. He always loved a new planet. Or, well, remembered liking new planets.

"Shouldn't we do some sort of environmental check?" Vastra asked, having already helped Jenny up, "We don't know what's out there."

The Doctor's companions, including John, looked at the reptilian woman with a hint of skepticism and amusement. "Environment checks…" John repeated, trying the words on his mouth. He didn't like it much.

"See?" Rose giggled, "Now that sounds Spock!"

Jack laughed, remembering that inside joke. Vastra still seemed a little lost, and was irritated that no one was cluing her into the joke. Jenny looked over at her wife with a sort of hesitance, knowing what her temper could be like. Not that she wouldn't back up Vastra one hundred percent. The captain seemed to get this, though. "That's not really how the Doctor rolls."

"Yes, and look where he is now," Vastra argued.

"Oh, for God's sake," Liz Ten sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she continued towards the doors, "I'm the bloody queen. I'll open any door I please."

Jack grinned, crossing his arms. "Gotta love a woman who can take charge."

Liz Ten cast one flirtatious glance his way before reaching the door. She hesitated for one brief moment, her fingers clenched around the handle. She took in a deep breath, tapping into the brave curiosity that made her such a great queen, that had sent her investigating her own government system for hundreds of years. She threw the door open with a regal flourish, a bright light filtering into the TARDIS from the outside. The queen gasped audibly, her breath being taken away at the view before her.

"What is it?" Jack asked, moving up towards her. When he saw what was outside, his blue eyes widened.

Martha frowned. "Is anyone going to tell us what's outside?" she asked.

It took a moment for the queen to regain her composure. "It's… Beautiful," she said, plainly. They were in the middle of a city, it seemed, glass and steel towers stretching and twirling and curving up at great heights, reaching as far as they could into the red sky. There was only a bit of greenery, but it couldn't even really be called "greenery" now. This planet's version of grass was blue, overgrown from the lack of care, and its thin, tall blades waved gently in the breeze. If this whole planet's main species hadn't just mysteriously died, Liz might have actually considered copying down those coordinates and make this her starship's next destination to take refuge at.

Everyone wanted a look after that, the curiosity getting the better of them. Neither Liz nor Jack turned their gazes away, but they could hear the shuffling of feet against the glass floors of the TARDIS and the movement of bodies, voices of people bumping into one another as they got closer and crowded around the door. Of course, with as many people as they had, it ended up spilling out a bit.

"Stay ready," Jack said in a steady voice, "We don't know what's out here."

"Make sure to keep your markers out too," Martha reminded everyone, her own fingers reaching inside her pocket to feel for her own. It was hard to talk about the enemy that they were facing, mainly because she had no idea what she was talking about, but she kept the firmness in her voice. "The Silence could be anywhere."

"And no wandering off!" John called, still over by the console with Rose. They weren't in the mood to try and fight their way to the front. "We still don't know where we are, or why we're here!"

Rose smiled. "You know, that never works."

John looked over at Rose and sighed, "_Well_," he shrugged, "Maybe someday." Though he highly doubted it.

* * *

><p>Madame Perez's reveal hung in the air, no one saying anything. She smirked at the Doctor's obvious shock. It made her feel even more like she had the upper hand in this situation.<p>

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, not believing Perez, but also not understanding how she could have possibly known about the Calvierris. It was such a long time ago. "No, no," he murmured, "All the girls died. I saw them. They… They were caught in the explosion."

"I couldn't make it with my sisters," Perez answered, her voice turning more breezy now, but there was still that edge, "My human family was from Spain, suffering from poverty. We heard about the great city of Venice, and found our way there just before the gates closed off the rest of the world. Even then, I knew something was suspicious. After all, I had seen the outside world. There was no Black Plague any longer…" She sighed, pacing in a circle around her prisoner. "I came right before that Isabella girl, my parents unable to afford to take care of me."

"So, why didn't I meet you?" the Doctor asked. As much as he loved the long story time, he had bigger fish to fry.

"I didn't react well to the transition phase," Perez explained, smiling down at the Doctor, "But I survived. Just like I always do. Just like you used to, Doctor. Until now."

This couldn't be it. Not now, not when all his friends were out there, trying to find the one girl that he wanted off this planet. Not when he didn't know where Amy was. He looked around with his peripherals. He was sure that the room was surrounded in the Silence. There was no way to escape. The Doctor was scared, scared to die. He knew what it was like, and it didn't matter if he was coming back or not. It was the same as the last time. He didn't want to go.

* * *

><p>It took them some time to get out of the Science hall, but not as hard as it was on the way in. Rory and Amy still got into a couple of little arguments on the way, the former continuing to moan about how they were going to die in there, and the latter starting to get more and more short-tempered as it got closer to the time she came face-to-face with the Doctor and revealed her true identity. Still, Rory only tripped over two of the mummified remains. When they reached the doors, and the large glass walls, Amy and Rory realized that the sun had barely set, despite it seeming like they had been in there a whole day.<p>

"Thank God," Rory muttered, "We made it."

"So dramatic," Amy sighed with a roll of eyes, hopping over a dead body that was lit up by Rory's torch. She finally reached the door, relief flooding through her. She wouldn't admit it to Rory, but Amy felt just as horrible about being in here as he did. Her whole body was aching for fresh air and the sunlight to hit her face. "You coming?"

"Right behind you," he said, stepping over the body that Amy just had encountered.

The door was still at the same angle that it had been when they first entered, the sticky hinges keeping it locked into place. Amy and Rory slid in between the space, their faces getting hit with air that wasn't stale and full of death. The redhead stepped out into the sun, feeling the warmth hit her face and shut her eyes. It was such a relief to get out of there.

Rory was about to do something along the same lines, but before he had the chance to celebrate, he noticed something that they shouldn't have missed before. Life. Rory could hear the sound of _people_. He turned his head towards the noise, his eyes widening when he saw the familiar shape and color of something he had only ever forgotten once. "Amy…"

"Rory, just give me a minute," she said. Amy just needed one more minute before she took Rory to the headquarters and finished out her job, killing her best friend.

"No, Amy, you might want to see this," he insisted, tapping her arm and continuing to look at the sight.

She groaned, and opened her eyes. "Wha-" But then Amy stopped. She followed Rory's gaze and saw exactly what he had been talking about. It was the TARDIS. Surrounded by a bunch of people. Her mouth fell open. Her feet started to move towards the box, as if by magnetic force, and Rory started after her. Why was there a crowd? What was that even _doing _here? Did that mean the Doctor was safe? Did the Silence know he was here? Was there still a chance that Amy could get him off this planet, before everything fell apart? No one had the answers to these questions, except for maybe one man.

But that wasn't who saw her first. It was a familiar face with blue eyes, brown hair, and pearly white teeth. "Hey, Red! Is that you?" Jack called, spotting the two coming over. Already, everyone else directed their attention towards her. There was too many people for Amy to count, but some looked familiar. Others were drawing out their guns.

Jack looked around at the soldiers. "Men! Stand down!" he ordered, then turned back to Amy with his dazzling smile, "This is who we've been looking for. And she has an attractive male friend with her… This could be _very _fun."

Rory grimaced. "Nice to see you again, Jack."

Amy was still speechless, but she was able to figure out that this was the first time the captain was meeting her husband. "Oh, and apparently we've met," Jack said, his tone a little unsure, but mostly curious, "I'd ask if I'd forgotten you, but I think I'd remember that nose. Yeah, you _are _going to be fun, arent' you?"

* * *

><p>Amy didn't know how Melody wasn't getting confused with what their sense of direction was, nor how she wasn't tired by now. Amy hadn't been out of that cell in months and was out of shape, weak. Still, Melody was managing all these spiraling stairs up to the Tower with a heavy gun in her hands, one that Amy was seriously thinking of taking away. It was messing with the image of her sweet, little girl, though after that escape, Amy was starting to realize that that image was probably never coming back.<p>

"So, why couldn't we take the lift or whatever?" Amy asked, climbing up at an achingly slow pace, her stomach feeling like it was being ripped apart and haggard breaths escaping her lips. If she made it out of here with the Doctor, she was really going to have to work out to get back into working condition. There was a lot of running when it came to being his companion, and Amy highly doubted she'd last the first week if she kept going like this.

"There's guards there," Melody explained again, having told her mother when she first told the older woman that they were going to have to climb all the way up to the tallest building in Trenzalore. It was like the equivalent of climbing up the stairs to the Empire State Building in New York, though it probably had a story or two more. "And I know you don't want me to kiss or kill anyone. "

Amy scowled at Melody's back, knowing her daughter had gotten her there. "How much more do we have to go?" she asked. Her legs were starting to tremble and had been burning since ten flights ago, and were now completely engulfed in flames. She felt like she was about ready to collapse.

"Actually, we're almost there," Melody said, hope fresh in her voice. Amy knew she was hoping that it was contagious, but now she was just feeling cranky.

Which was okay in the end, because it ended up being a lie. Amy had had to go up fourteen more flights of stairs before they finally reached the landing, only having one break. By the time they reached the top, the redhead wanted to lie down on the cold floor and die. She was sweating and breathing heavy and Amy just felt so, _so _tired, the past months starting to weigh down on her heavily.

But then she heard it. "_So why didn't I meet you_?" His voice. Amy thought she might just cry right then and there. Her vision started to blur. It had been so long… The only things she'd had to go off of were the memories and the dreams, but even those were painful enough, once Amy figured out what they were.

When Melody heard the voice, she hardly recognized it, but she could hear Perez in there. They were right down the hallway. Melody could just see her form at the end, through the hallway, but she couldn't see who she was addressing. It wasn't until she turned to her mother and saw the light and eagerness in her eyes, her whole demeanor changing. She seemed… Stronger now. Well, Amy _had _always been strong. It was one of the things that Melody admired about her mother, but even she had to admit that her hero had been sickly, getting worse and worse, for a while now.

"Give me that gun, Melody," Amy said in a firm voice, her eyes locked on the spot where she knew the Doctor was.

"Mummy, I think it's better if I keep it," Melody replied, though somewhat meekly. She tried to explain herself. "I know what I'm doing."

Amy looked down at her daughter. She really wished she could tell her that she was wrong, but they both knew what Melody was. She was a trained weapon. _A weapon to _kill_ the Doctor. _But hopefully, she had changed her enough. Amy opened her mouth to argue, but realized that she would be absolutely useless with the gun. She doubted she could even carry the weight of it, and she would be stupid to believe that there wasn't going to be any more members of the Silence in there. And this time she didn't have a marker with her. Amy had only ever seen _one _person that managed to take down a room full of the Silence on her own, if they ignored the Doctor's efforts with his sonic screwdriver, and that was River. Melody could do this, even though Amy wished she had some sort of other option.

Melody gave her mother a reassuring smile, as if seeing the decision finally being made in her green eyes. Amy tried to smile back, then they both simultaneously looked in front of them, their feet beginning to move in front of them. They were practically running, and even though Amy had been tired just moments before, all she had was energy now. Every step forward was a step towards the Doctor, _her _Doctor, her Raggedy Man.

"Just like you used to, Doctor," Perez was saying, "Until now."

All fear that she had towards the Silence was gone. Amy burst into the room. "Oi, Perez!" she said, her Scottish accent strong, "You're going to have to go through me first."

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	31. It's a Revolution, I Suppose

**Hey, guys. I know it's been forever since I last updated, but... I don't know. I've been in a writing funk lately. Just a funk in general. I'm still sticking to this though, and I'm never going to abandon it or any of you. No matter how busy or suck-ish life gets(: **

**Now, I'm listening to this song right now, and it's one of my favorites, so why not just use it for the chapter title, right? It's from "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons. Dude, this song gets stuck in my head for days at a time... xP Anyways. **

**Sending in a review will get you a sneak peek to the next chapter(: And I own nothing. I'll try to update again at a reasonable time! I hate when I take months at a time! Gah. ALRIGHT. ENJOY(: **

"No way!" Amy watched as another woman eyed her up, grinning. The stranger smacked Jack's arm, who was also smiling at her reaction. "You weren't kidding about the legs!"

"Um, who are you?" the redhead asked. She was flattered by the compliment and everything, but whoever this woman was, she obviously knew some things about Amy. It was only fair to get some information on _her._

"Oh, sorry!" she apologized, then held out her hand, "Doctor Martha Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor, before he started wearing the bow ties and all that!" Martha was excited. She knew that the Doctor really loved this girl. The fact that he, a man of peace, had raised an army to come to her rescue, well it spoke for itself. And Martha had always just wanted the Doctor to be happy. Despite her old crush on him, she had been happy for him when he'd reunited with Rose, and now that he had been able to find someone new just made her feel even better.

Amy seemed to sense the doctor's good intentions and smiled back at the raven-haired woman, accepting her hand and shaking it. "Lucky you, Martha," she joked, starting to recall when she'd seen past companions. Amy thought she could kind of recognize her. "I'm Amy Pond."

"And I'm the husband," the man beside her added, his arms crossed. He was still a little weirded out by how Jack was looking at him. "But you can call me Rory."

Martha was a little confused by this. Jack, meanwhile, took it in easily. He'd had weirder. He was a little shocked that the _Doctor _was into stuff like that. Still, he was almost 1,000 years old, and Jack had never bought that innocent act of his. Neither had a chance to really say anything before Amy walked into the TARDIS. She saw faces that were familiar, some not. One that she didn't see was the Doctor's. She whirled around and looked at Jack.

"Where is he?" she asked, worry creeping into her voice. There was no way that he… They would have killed everyone here. The Silence wouldn't have left any survivors, not any pro-Doctor ones, anyways. "The Doctor. He has to be around here somewhere. Who flew her?"

"That would be me!" a cheerful voice said from the console. Amy turned back around and saw a man with brown hair and a pinstripe suit, a cheeky smile on his face. "Hello, I'm the Doctor."

"What?"

"_Well_," he said, correcting himself and hopping down the stairs, "Not exactly. But I was. I'm a clone of his last regeneration. Long story, and a bittersweet ending filled with a bunch of timey-wimey, spacey-wacey fun and Daleks. Perhaps your Doctor will tell you sometime."

Amy and Rory were trying to take in the man just a few feet away from them. This was what the Doctor used to look like? Neither had really seen previous regenerations. There was that first time on the hospital roof, the Atraxi displaying their video footage, but the faces had flown by in a face, and Amy hadn't even known what she was looking at until they were already gone.

"It's so… _Different_," Rory said in amazement.

"Yeah, well, that's regeneration for you!" he replied, "Call me John."

"Okay, John," Amy said, her tone a bit unsure, "So… If you're like the Doctor… Does that mean you're a Time Lord, too?"

John sighed. "This is what I meant by the timey-wimey, spacey-wacey stuff."

"He's human," a woman's voice from behind him said, her arms wrapping around the man with a content smile on her face, "He still has the Doctor's old memories, before he was made."

Amy took in the blonde. She had a clear London accent, warm eyes, and a rather big mouth. She tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms. Part of her was focusing on the fact that this woman was all over the Doctor, even if he didn't look like her Raggedy Doctor, or wasn't really the Doctor at all. The other part of her was starting to make connections between her creation and his. But Amy didn't want to think about that. The Doctor's clone got a happy ending, but she was foolish if she decided to let herself believe she could have one, too.

"Who're you, then?" Amy asked, looking at the blonde.

"Oh, Rose Tyler," she answered, holding her hand out, "The Doctor might have told you about me."

"Can't say he has," Amy quipped. So the _real _Doctor knew her? Obviously he'd been more than friendly with this companion. And Amy had always thought she was the only one… It made her feel upset. Even the real Amy knew nothing about this! She thought back to when they first met Jack, how touchy the Doctor had been when talking about past companions. Was this why? Why hadn't he told her?

Jack and John stood at either side of each other, exchanging a quick look. Mostly everyone was still outside looking around, but the few people remaining inside the TARDIS watched the girls closely, as if they could sense a brawl coming on. Jack hadn't been there at the time, but he'd heard about Rose's first meeting with Sarah Jane. Apparently, the companions closest to the Doctor could just _smell _it on each other. Hopefully, Amy would ease up, though. Rose had eventually warmed up to Sarah Jane. "Anyways," Jack said, clearing his throat and smiling, "Looks like our part of the mission is up."

"What do you mean?" Rory asked. He had been watching their introduction, too. His wife was still eyeing up Rose, and Rory was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the Doctor changed _so _much. At least this one didn't have a bow tie.

"Originally, we came here to fight the Silence," Jack explained, "The Doctor needed help. Then, he found out that _Amy _was here, and, well, our priorities changed."

Amy's stomach dropped. Had he finally figured out the messages? He knew about the other Amy, that _she _wasn't real. He had to. Guilt flooded her as she thought about the Doctor hating her. Now, she no longer had the element of surprise. But maybe this would make it easier to kill him, to see him hate her and love the other Amy more. She let out a low breath, masking her expressions. "Okay, so where is he, then?" she asked.

Jack looked back at John, Rose, and Martha. "Uh, well," he said, knowing Amy wouldn't like this.

"He got captured by the Silence," Martha finished, "The Doctor said we had to find you. He was going to be the distraction."

Everything inside Amy and Rory froze. Maybe because they were the only people in the room, who really knew what the Silence were capable of. They could destroy lives, had done that very same thing to the Ponds and River. And their one mission was to kill the Doctor. Now that they had him, well… They were in huger trouble than everyone was grasping.

"We have to get him," Rory said. Even though he was still a little miffed about the Doctor being Amy's choice to travel with, that Time Lord was still one of his best mates. The centurion in him was kicking in. Rory wouldn't let the Doctor die. The whole _universe _was going to go down with him, if he did. "I mean it. We have to go _now_."

"I like him when he gets controlling," Jack grinned.

"We're going to get him," Martha said, "Don't worry. He can get out of _any _trap. We've all seen it, right?"

"You haven't seen the Silence," Amy replied, shaking her head, "He already escaped them once, but I don't think he'll get the chance to this time."

John just looked at Amy. He could see why the Doctor liked her. She was smart, passionate, and it was clear how much the Doctor meant to her. It was like he was her everything. Amy Pond was also absolutely right. John had already been told that the Doctor might not make it, that he _shouldn't. _But he didn't say anything. He wasn't supposed to.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, getting worried. The Doctor had explained to them that the Silence were dangerous, that they wanted him dead. But so did a lot of other things. The Doctor always managed to get out. _Always._

"We're at _Trenzalore_," Amy said, her tone grave and her eyes fearful. The Doctor was dying. They were killing him. And then they were going to kill _her. _"This is where everything ends."

* * *

><p>"Amy?" the Doctor asked. She looked… Different. Far different than when he'd left her at Craig's and Sophie's. She seemed paler, sicker. Even Amy's vibrant red hair was duller. It was like her life source was draining. The only thing that seemed to be lit up were her eyes, filled with happiness and vengeance.<p>

Madame Perez seemed to only look at the two girls with mild irritation. "I'm not even surprised," she sighed, "I thought about sending more guards, but… Well, I hadn't expected the Doctor to leave without his precious TARDIS."

"Let him go," Amy said in a low voice. She wanted to chance a look at him, but she couldn't. Not right now. Not when it meant her absolutely losing it. "_Now_."

Perez clucked her tongue. "Now, now, Amy," she replied, her gun never leaving the Doctor. Everyone knew what an escape artist he was. "You're not _my _mother, and you're clearly outnumbered."

Anyone looking at the situation would think that Madame Perez was clearly bluffing. People who knew about the Silence, who saw her small inclination towards something behind her, would know that the woman was speaking a horrible truth. Melody propped up her gun a bit. It was the only movement in the room, but it was also a reminder that she was no ordinary pre-teen girl. Both Amy and the Doctor had seen her kill a roomful of Silence members, though it was two regenerations later, and she was much older. Melody was a trained killer, no less.

"I'll take the chances," she said.

"You know," Perez responded, "Kovarian was the one that stuck you with Melody. Saved us on space in these ruins, and she thought it might be an added torture for you, a test for her little project. But I had higher hopes… I did it as a gift for you, Amy. You got to spend what small amount of time you could with her. And yet, you still haven't changed. Willing to risk _everything _for your Time Lord."

Melody looked up at her mother, but her face didn't seem to falter. Either she was determined to save the Doctor, or Perez's words didn't affect her because they weren't true. Melody really hoped it was the latter. "You heard my mum," she said, "Let him go."

The Doctor looked at the conflict going on, at his glorious Pond, and… Well, who he thought was Melody. He thought back to Lily, Rory and Helen's daughter, how he had realized that she wasn't Amy's because of the features, features he would recognize anywhere. And the Doctor definitely saw some of Amy in the girl next to her. "Amy," he suddenly said, "Amelia, look at me."

The redhead hesitated, but it was _him_. It was the Doctor, and she always trusted him. Plus, he called her "Amelia." That always meant something. Amy looked at him, her eyes widening and her lips curling into a small smile. It had been too long since she'd seen him, not counting the dreams anyways. "Doctor…"

"Amelia, take your daughter, and get out of here," he ordered, hoping that she, for once, listened to him. Because out of all the moments, this was definitely the time.

She frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. "No, I'm not-"

"_Amy_-"

"Enough of this," Perez groaned, exasperated. She hadn't expected this to be such a long execution. She started talking to the people she worked for, the ones running this show. "Just kill them already. It's not like we need Kovarian's little project anyways."

Amy and the Doctor stopped their little fight. They suddenly were seeing the Silence, ones they knew they had seen time and time before since they had all entered this room. They'd just forgotten it. The Doctor stood up. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. _He _was supposed to die. _Amy _was supposed to get out of there and live, to move on from him and stay on Earth, perhaps even re-write time and go back with Rory. She had Melody now. They could be what they could've been, had the Doctor not come in and ruined it all.

"Don't you _dare_ touch them!" he commanded, the Doctor's voice low and full of rage. But the Silence didn't stop. Their white faces grew closer, the wholes they had for mouths widening. There were five of them. Yes, they were definitely outnumbered, and already they were ready for attack. Their arms widened, bolts of electricity surrounding them. "_Do you hear m-_"

There was a shot that rang out, then another, and another. Amy didn't comprehend what it was at first, but then she looked over at the only two people had a gun. There was Melody, who seemed just as confused as everyone else, then Perez, who was preoccupied with her bosses dying.

The Silence started to realize they were under attack too, and headed towards them, but the attackers had the element of surprise already. Amy took the distraction as a means to free the Doctor, seeing as Perez was distracted. She moved, their eyes finding each other. Amy couldn't help herself. Before she had even freed him, her lips were on his.

"You have to get out of here," the Doctor said urgently, breaking away.

"I'm not leaving you, Stupid," Amy replied with a roll of her eyes, taking a bobby pin out of her hair. It was hidden in the back, something that she had saved for when the Doctor finally came back to save her. Amy hadn't expected it would have been the other way around. She started picking the lock.

"_Amy_, I_ mean_ it!" he insisted, "This isn't one of our fun adventur-"

That's where she stopped what she was doing. Amy looked up at him and didn't stop herself from punching his arm. The Time Lord gasped. "I am aware, Doctor, that this isn't one of our usual romps around a strange planet," Amy told him, her eyes narrowing. It was to balance out the fact that she could feel the prick of tears. "I've been stuck in my own living hell with these people for _months_."

"_Months_?" the Doctor repeated. No… There was no way that he could have possibly left her at Craig and Sophie's and been _this _late. Not again. He was really tired of making Amy wait, and he had tried his best to make sure that she wouldn't have had to for very long.

"Months," Amy repeated, having gone back to picking the lock. She smiled when she flicked her wrists and the handcuffs fell off. "Result!"

"But… _Months_?" he said again.

Amy looked up and saw his eyes. She remembered… He didn't know about Perez's secret weapon, her little ganger. "Doctor, there's something I should tell you."

"_You _two?" Perez shrieked. Amy stopped and followed her gaze. She suddenly realized that all the Silence were gone, leaving only a still quiet behind them, the echoes of gunfire bouncing off the walls. The strangest thing was that Amy _knew _the attackers.

The Doctor saw where Melody and Amy were staring, where Perez was slowly turning around to stare at, what the Silence had been moving towards them. He thought it might be one of his people. The fact that they were two strangers, ones with eye patches no less. No one said anything for a moment. "Well, that's rubbish," the Doctor muttered, "Who are they supposed to be?"

Amy was beaming. "Bert!" she cried happily, moving toward them. She threw her arms around the first one, a human, and then moved to the blue reptilian next to him. "Leonard!"

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Perez cried, touching her eye piece as if she was receiving orders.

"We couldn't let you hurt her, ma'am," Leonard said, and Bert nodded.

"Amy's done nothing wrong," Bert added, "This is why we signed up for the Silence. We're after _him_." He pointed towards the Doctor. "Not her."

"She'ssss just like the ressst of uss," Leonard picked up, "Life interrupted by the Doctor."

He knew that the Silence hated him. Really, it was obvious. But it was hard to hear this. The Time Lord winced at what they made him sound like, what he really was. Amy let go of them though and took a step back. She understood that they were just trying to protect her, but they obviously weren't getting what Amy had tried convincing them while they had guarded her. Despite what the Time Lord thought, he wasn't like that. Not to her, anyways.

Madame Perez was done with this. Her plan was failing and she was clearly outnumbered. There was only one option left: call for back-up and clean up as much of the mess as she could. She needed a moment of chaos to distract everyone again while she called in the other soldiers. Perez glanced down at the gun, her lips curling into a thin smile. No one had expected that she would actually do it, not until her hand tightened its grip on the gun, her finger curling around the trigger and pressing down.

The shot rang out, and a body crumpled down onto the ground.

**Yeah, yeah. I know. Cliffhanger. Still. Subscribe. Favorite. Review. Or I'll make that cliffhanger ten times more sad(:**


	32. There's Something We Need

**Hey guys! Long time no see(: I know it's been a while, so I apologize for that. I seem to be getting out of the funk I've been in for a while though, so... Maybe a few chapters from now we can look back at my inactivity and laugh? Maybe? Hopefully? ... :) **

**Okay, so there's the next chapter. The title of the chapter is from the song "Ode to Sleep" by Twenty One Pilots. It's a good song. Listen to it... Only if you want to though, I don't want to be too bossy. I mean, I already threaten you at the end of every chapter. :P **

**Two reminders. I own nothing, and... Reviewing gets you a sneak peek to the next chapter(: So do it. And, while you're at it... ENJOY!**

And then another.

Amy's mouth fell open as she watched in shock, her two friends, her old guards, falling to the ground. She had watched people die before. She had seen the Silence do things like this. She had watched that time at Demon's Run. But it always felt the same. The dread and the guilt of watching two living people dying for your cause never eased up, never lessened. And even though Amy Pond had never been one to cry in front of others, she couldn't stop now. The tears welled up in her eyes and her heart felt like it had dropped to the pit of her stomach.

Bert and Leonard. Their bodies were crumpled messes on the ground, Bert's red human blood mixing with the dark black of Leonard's own fluids. The Doctor's eyes closed momentarily. He knew that they wouldn't be the only casualty today if he didn't get the girls out. Melody only stared at them. Her training and her early life had hardened her. And now she was going to look at those bodies and let the anger rise up in her. She didn't know them, of course, but they were men that hadn't deserved to die, who had been trying to save her mother. Melody may be a borderline psychopath, but she wasn't completely heartless.

She took the gun from her mother's hands, knowing Amy barely had the strength to hold it anyways. Besides, with the Doctor standing there, Melody was sure that he wouldn't have let Amy shoot who needed to be taken down. Her small fingers found the trigger as she aimed it at Perez. She was just about to push down when the Doctor rushed over to them, distracting her with his weird hair and attire and urgency in the way he moved.

"Melody, stop trying to shoot people," he said, then looked over at Amy, "And Pond, I know, _I know _you're hurting right now, and I'm sorry that I've gotten you into this mess, but we have to get out. _Now_."

He was right of course. Perez was distracted, voices flooding in through her communicator as her organization realized what had happened. She had killed the traitors, but the rest of her employersr were dead, and she needed back up, _fast_. She was still muttering into her eye patch when they tried slipping away, but she didn't miss their movement. Perez stopped everything, her gun flying up. "Oh, I don't think so!" she yelled, aiming it straight at Amy, "You all are staying right where you are until my men come, and then I'm not wasting another _second _with you-"

"As lovely as that sounds," the Doctor interrupted, his sonic screwdriver and Melody's gun flying up in unison. Amy stared at the two. She could just see River in Melody's place doing the exact same thing. It was making her sort of dizzy. Or maybe that was something else. "These two have a ride to catch. Not to worry, though! I'll be back for that whole 'killing' thing you've got planned with all your men. Bye for now!"

With that, he turned on the sonic, the frequency causing sparks to fly out from Perez's weapon. The shock of it made her drop it, and before she had the chance to grab the pistol attached to her belt, the Doctor had already grabbed Melody and Amy's hands and bolted down the hallway.

Perez let out a frustrated shriek and touched her eye patch. "Sound the alarms!" she yelled, "They're on the run! Don't you dare let him leave this planet!"

* * *

><p>"We have to <em>try<em>!" Martha argued.

"You heard what he said, Martha," John returned, his voice calm and nonchalant, "We've gotten Amy, now it's time to get out."

"But if what Amy said is true," Rose said softly, thinking. It was hard arguing with John, but he was the only one against not following the Doctor's orders. "What if he _doesn't _come out this time?"

"But he said-" he tried repeating.

"Oh, like this is the first time we'd ignore what he told us to do!" Amy cried. She had ulterior motives just like John did, and just like his, they involved the Doctor dying. Amy wasn't going back to save the Doctor, rather to save Melody. She wouldn't leave her again. Now that she was sure he knew about there being two Amy's, and the Silence well-aware that she hadn't killed the Doctor when she was ordered to, Amy wanted to spend the least amount of time possible at Trenzalore. But she couldn't leave Melody there. She would get her daughter back, perhaps even bring Rory, and they would travel the universe together as a happy family, running far enough so that the Silence could never reach them again.

First she just had to convince everyone to stay here long enough to get what she wanted. "Unless you guys actually followed his 'Don't wander off' rule," Amy continued, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow to challenge everyone in that room.

Jack shrugged. "Red's got a point," he said, "No offense, John, but the Doctor I knew didn't always make the best decisions. Leaving me at Satellite Five ringing any bells?"

"Yeah, sometimes he's needed _us _to help _him,_" Martha chimed in, "I mean, without me, he'd still be back in the 19th century, thinking he was a human schoolteacher."

"And if I hadn't of spilled that cup of tea, those Sycorax things would have made the whole world be their slaves!" Mickey added, happy to have realized he was of some use to the Time Lord.

"Oh, there was that one time that I rallied an army of Romans," Rory offered.

"Right, maybe fifty," Amy scoffed, then pointed out, "Besides, they were all out to kill him."

"Still counts," her husband argued, "And, besides, I helped… In other ways…" It took him a second to think of something. "Oh! I started the whole 'Research the time period before we just take a quick trip to a quarantined planet with hand robots."

"Hand robots?" Mickey asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Amy cleared her throat, taking control of the room. "Yeah, back to the point," she said, seeing the tangent they were all getting on, "We've decided to help him then? Because, come on, he wears a bow tie. I know the Doctor can get scary, but… A bow tie, people."

"This isn't a good ide-" John tried beginning.

"That's correct, Amy," Madame Vastra said, coming out from her spot in the hallway, where she had been watching, along with the others, as the companions deliberated. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that the companions, past and present, were in charge, but in Vastra's opinion, they were taking far too long. "About the first part, though I don't disagree about his neckwear either. I hate to say it, but the universe can't go on without him. We have to get him out of this mess, no more questions asked."

Jenny gave a small smile, proud of her lover, staying on the sidelines.

John looked around at everyone else in the room. The Doctor was going to hate him for this, for disobeying. But he could see it on all their faces, their dedication and loyalty to this alien, who always felt like he had no one. In reality, he had half the universe behind him. John shook his head, giving a resigned sigh and moving his hands to the controls. "Everyone find something to grab onto," he said, his voice loud and clear. He would get them all out of there if it got too dangerous. John may have had two hearts, but he was still a Time Lord in his head and in his memories. And that was all that mattered to him. He could do this.

* * *

><p>"Doctor!" Amy cried as they ran down a hallway. Her lungs were on fire and her legs felt like gelatin. She didn't know if she could keep this up. She stopped, her hand ripping from the Doctor's. Amy was breathing harshly and she felt like collapsing and calling it quits. "I can't… I can't."<p>

The Doctor hadn't stopped for a few seconds, coming to a complete halt just a few feet ahead of her. He let go of Melody's hand and moved over to Amy, his hands grabbing both her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "Amy… Amelia, what's wrong?" he asked. This was strange. He knew something was wrong with her. She'd always been able to keep up before.

Amy closed her eyes, trying to breathe before she spoke again. Melody did the talking for her, walking next to the Doctor and looking at her mother worriedly. "She said they were poisoning her food. She's been saying it for months, but I didn't really believe her," Melody said, then her eyes widened. She hadn't meant to say that last part. Why had she said that?

The redhead looked up. "What?" she managed to gasp out.

Melody just gave a small shrug. Well, it was already out, and she could see now that her mother _wasn't _putting on an act anymore. "I thought you were just faking it to try and get out of the cell and taken to the med bay," she said, "It's a pretty brilliant idea if you think about it. I know now you're not pretending. You're already out of the cell."

"Thanks for the lack of faith, Mels," Amy said sarcastically, remembering her old friend, which was technically her daughter in the future… This wasn't the time to focus on that.

"Well, you _did _abandon her back on Demon's Run," the Doctor pointed out. Now it was _his _turn to get the shocked look from her. "Sorry," he murmured, kissing her forehead, "A bit harsh. Didn't mean for that to come out. Now, Amy, I know you're tired, and I promise to give you a full scan… When we're _not _standing in the middle of a hallway located in an enemy base where said enemies are fastly approaching us."

Amy was about to just give in and go, even though she really just wanted to lay there and sleep… She thought she was nodding slowly, but she quickly realized she was shaking it, and before she could stop herself, Amy was already refusing to go. "No, I don't want to," she said, sounding more stubborn than she'd even meant to. She knew she had to go, but why weren't her feet moving?

The Doctor frowned. "Amy, right now is not the time to be stubborn. Now, come on," he said, trying to pull her hand. But as soon as Amy moved a step, tears started falling from her eyes. What the hell was going on with her? The Doctor noticed this and decided to stop pulling, instead looking at her hesitantly. He wasn't used to Amy crying. Well, he knew that she had before, but she usually never did it in front of people, and not in the middle of a situation like this. He didn't ever have a companion that had. After all, when they were running from hostile aliens, there wasn't really any time for tears. "Pond, what's wrong?"

"She's been crying, too," Melody answered for her mother, who was too busy trying to clean herself up and hide her tears by wiping them on her short sleeves of the white hospital outfit, "A lot, actually. I don't remember her crying this much the last time."

"Little Pond," he instructed, his green eyes not leaving Amy now, "I need you to watch out for any Silence. If you see one, I want you to stare right at them. Don't you dare look away. And just pull on my coat, got it?"

Melody nodded, looking around slowly and listening carefully for any sort of sound while the Doctor extracted his sonic screwdriver from his coat pocket. It hovered over Amy, the buzzing sound filling the air, and the light causing Amy to turn slightly green. She was still wiping her tears and staring at him slowly. "What are you doing?" she asked quietly, hiccupping.

"Finding out what is wrong with you, Amelia Pond," the Doctor answered simply, taking back the device and flicking it up to see the scans. He frowned, his face wrinkling in confusion.

"What?"

"You have high levels of veritoxin," the Time Lord murmured, "Which is completely impossible seeing as…"

"Seeing as…?" Honestly, Amy had no patience. She just wanted to know what the Silence had been doing to her.

"It's only present in organisms with-" He was about to finish when he felt a tug on his coat. The Doctor turned around, looking at Melody and seeing which way she was staring off at. And there was the first one. His white face and black suit was just like the rest. "Ah, see they put you on the front lines today," the Doctor said, smiling at the alien. He had to put off what was wrong with Amy right at that point. "I'd be careful if I were you. I've got a trained killer on my side now. I know she doesn't look like much, what with only being 12, but she's a girl with many surprises, trust you, me."

Melody almost looked back up at the Doctor, confused. He seemed to know a lot about her… Who was this guy, anyways? She'd read some of the information in files that the Silence had, but the most she got was that he was an alien that picked people up in his ship and misplaced, interrupted, and screwed up peoples' lives. Or, in Amy's opinion, he saved people. The man with the floppy hair was still very much a mystery to Melody at this point.

The room started to get darker as the Silence stepped closer, sparks coming off his hands. He didn't have a chance before Melody shot him dead with the gun. She smiled and turned back at the Doctor, who was a little surprised. Sure, he had seen a lot in his almost 1000-year lifespan, but seeing little Melody just kill someone as simply as that, then smile about it… Well, it was very _River._ "You didn't have to kill him so fast, you know," the Doctor chastised, "We could have questioned him first."

"About what?" Melody asked, "Mummy and I have been in here for a while, we basically already know everything anyways. Besides, you gave him a warning, didn't you?"

"Yes, but still," the Doctor said, "We need to find out what they did to your mother." Who, upon seeing her little girl kill someone, had started crying once more. "Oh, honestly, Pond…"

"I don't know what's wrong with me!" Amy shot at him, not wanting to be teased at that very moment. _Now _she just wanted to get away from the situation. She sniffed and wiped her new tears away, not looking at the Doctor as she grabbed Melody's hand and started marching off in the direction they had once been heading.

The Doctor sighed. Amy was as impossible as ever, and he _had _to figure out what was wrong with her. There was no way that she could have such high levels of veritoxin in her. Any human would have been dead by now with the high amount she did. Which was what confused the Doctor most. Why wasn't she dead?

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	33. It's Time to Begin

**Hey, guys! Really sorry about the long interval, but I've only had mobile internet to go off of. I'm at a friend's house really quick, and I worked on a couple chapters, so(: **

**This is from the song "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons, only because it's the first song that popped into my head. Idk why. But I'm in a rush, and it kind of applies, since this is all where the fight is starting. Peeps being sent of the TARDIS and all that. **

**Just a reminder since I haven't posted in 5ever... I do not own anything. Nothing at all, except for minor characters that really don't matter that much anyways. Basically just Madame Perez. But who wants to own that female skeezeball? Also! Review to get a sneak peek! I know that some of you have reviewed in the last month. If you posted any time in the month of July BEFORE today (July 27th, 2013), then you get one automatically. If you still want to review, feel free(: Anyways, really. SORRY ABOUT THIS. But I'm not giving up this story ever, so don't think that. Ever. **

**Since I have the next chapter already up in my Doc Manager, I'll be able to get it up faster. Now that I'm done apologizing... ENJOY!**

Everyone was prepared. They stood ready at the doors. Rory was at the back with Amy, and was wondering why, for the umpteenth time, they weren't in the frontlines. Not that he wanted her to be in that position, of course not. It was completely dangerous and he had always hated it when Amy threw caution to the wind and risked her safety for a Doctor-involved mission. But it was also something that Rory had come to expect, because that was just what Amy did. She was the type that dominated and led and inspired everyone with her determination. It seemed as if she was done with controlling the situation though, as soon as she had been able to convince everyone to go after the Doctor. _She got what she wanted already_, Rory thought, trying to reason with himself. It still seemed wrong though.

"Most of us don't know what we're going after," Mickey called over everyone. All the quiet chitter-chatter became silence as he spoke. He wasn't the "pathetic" boyfriend Rose had abandoned back in London when she first met the Doctor. He was a soldier. "We aren't familiar with this planet either, and our enemies will make us forget that we ever saw them in the first place, as soon as we turn around-"

"He certainly knows how to boost the self-esteem, doesn't he?" Amy muttered to Rory, who just smiled in return.

"But if we're being honest," Mickey continued, "We've all been through a hell of a lot more. Or else we wouldn't be here. We've all seen countless deaths, whether it's from fellow humans or Daleks or Cybermen! We may not have the knowledge or the organization that they do. But what they also took from us was our Doctor! And we _will _get him back! The universe depends on him, on _us_!"

There was cheering after that, and even Amy applauded him. It had started off a little pessimistically, but Mickey had done a nice job of turning it around, of making everyone believe in themselves and this cause. For a second _she _almost thought that saving the Doctor was her main purpose there.

The doors opened to where Amy had told them to land, in the middle of the headquarters on the first level. They all saw ruddy metal and dirty glass, part of the ruins of the Trenzaloran building. They also saw guns pointed at them and white figures standing behind them, their long hands waving slowly in the air.

"_Go_!" Mickey shouted, sending the first line, which was mostly WWII soldiers that had spent the majority of the trip figuring out how to use alien weaponry. They would branch off to one wing, and so would the lines after that. The second line took in a breath, ready to go.

This was it.

* * *

><p>As they ran, Amy had been able to clean herself up some. She didn't know why she kept crying, but it was really starting to get on her nerves. She sniffed as they turned a corner, both her and the Doctor looking at Melody, who was the one giving them directions. "They'll see us at the front entrance," the little girl told them, "But I know there's an exit that's in a back room on the first floor."<p>

"Fire exit," the Doctor smiled, and nodded. He clapped his hands. "Perfect. Thank you, Little Pond! Now, Amy, look at me."

The redhead turned her face from her daughter to the man in front of her. "What?" she asked.

"I know this may sound be a bit difficult to hear," he said, "But you're going to have to reign in your emotions." He knew that she wouldn't be able to though. The voice in the back of the Doctor's mind knew that Amy hardly could contain her thoughts and feelings and emotions anyways, and that was without the veritoxin. The Doctor tried very hard to ignore this voice. He was the hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams. And she was his impossible Amy Pond. He had to believe that she was capable of anything and everything he asked of her.

"If you tell me what you're thinking," Amy replied, narrowing her eyes, "There's something wrong with me, I know it."

"Amy-"

"I'm right, aren't I?" she challenged. Amy wanted to be aware of the position she was in. She wanted to know what was happening to her, and if she was right about the Silence poisoning her. Amy wanted the Doctor to stop giving her that look he always gave her when he was extremely worried about her well-being. And, most of all, she wanted him to tell her that he could fix it.

"Fine! Okay!" the Doctor sighed.

Amy got a bit more quiet. She knew it. She _knew _they'd poisoned her. "It was the Silence, wasn't it?" she asked, "What did they do to me?"

"I don't know," he murmured, touching a hand to her cheek. The Doctor had to make sure she knew that was telling the truth. He was holding things back from her. Like he _definitely _didn't plan on saying, "What I _do _know is that you should be dead right now."

"What?" There was panic in both Melody's and Amy's voices as they said it in unison.

Wait. Did the Doctor say that out loud? He frowned. He hadn't meant to say that at all! His hand dropped off Amy's cheek, making his hands into fists and rubbing his thumbs over nervously. "Okay, didn't mean for that to come out," he muttered to himself. He looked away from Amy and started walking, "Little Pond, I need you to lead us to the fire exit."

The little girl seemed to sense that an adult conversation was going to go on, so she started to move a little faster, a few feet ahead of them. The Doctor and Amy followed after, and he could feel his companion's gaze on him, but he didn't say anything, didn't look over until she grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers together. It made him think of all the times they'd held hands and pulled each other down long corridors and hallways, or out between trees, angry people always chasing after them as they tried to find their way to the TARDIS. If this was where the question would be asked, where he would have to sacrifice himself for the whole universe, then that made the Doctor wonder if this would be the last time they'd be able to do that. He finally turned his head to find Amy's seeking eyes.

"Don't worry, Pond," he said, knowing what she wanted to ask him. He also knew what she wanted to hear. For some reason, the Doctor couldn't tell her that he was already figuring it out, which he wasn't. The words wouldn't come out of his mouth. And his two hearts started to beat faster. He had no idea what was going on, but this was bad.

"Hard not to when someone tells me I'm supposed to be _dead, _idiot." She felt a little irritated with the Doctor and let go of his hand. "You never tell me anything."

"Yes I do."

"Not _everything._"

It didn't need to be said what Amy was talking about. His name. The Doctor gave her a long stare. They both stopped, and she watched him carefully. A million different expressions crossed his face, and Amy tried to catch every one. There was guilt, sadness, reluctance… His mouth opened, and he really _was _about to say it. Amy could sense it, but then she saw his walls build back up and a part of her groaned. The Doctor moved forward and put both hands on either side of her face. "If I told you everything, I wouldn't need you to trust me," he said quietly. Amy remembered he'd said this before, in the forest in the Byzantium. He kissed the top of her head. "Secrets keep us _safe_, Amelia. Do you understand?"

She didn't answer, just started walking. Amy didn't know if she understood, and there was something that wouldn't let her tell him otherwise. She knew that there was plenty of secrets she'd kept to make others happy. Like never telling Rory that she loved someone else. Amy just let him believe that she'd come back someday, knowing he'd find his family eventually. But what was so dangerous about a measly name?

* * *

><p>"I want a full-scale attack," Madame Perez said, walking into one of the court rooms of the city hall that they had re-constructed into an assembly room. All the soldiers stood in rows, behind the desks where Trenzaloran politicians probably stood and voted on different matters. These glass desks were now empty, stone-faced figures in their places. They didn't look at their leader, but it was clear in her voice and the heaviness of her steps that she was furious. "Kill them all, do you hear me? I don't want a <em>single <em>survivor!"

There was only one person that had any problem with this, a dark-skinned girl in the front row. She didn't say anything though, knowing that it would only humiliate herself and Perez, and she could not have that. So, she waited patiently for the speech to be over, for everyone to be assigned their duties and their places, and for everyone to be dismissed.

"I want every area covered!" Madame Perez continued to rant, "Follow your squad leaders _and know your places_. You know what you're up against. You've all seen him, and you all know that he finds a way out. _We _will be the exception!"

Everyone let out a single cry, organized even in their cheering. The soldiers saluted Madame Perez, who stood up on the main stage with Madame Kovarian and their white-faced leaders behind her, then marched out the doors in single fashion. Eliza broke this organization, leaping out from her line and walking towards Perez, who had already turned to talk to her higher colleagues.

"Madame," Eliza said, her tone flat and serious. She was younger than the other soldiers, and she was always trying to keep up with them, make her take them seriously. It was her hard work and dedication, after all, that made Madame Perez like her so much. That, and her father's reputation and her friendship with Melody Pond. "I need to speak with you."

Madame Perez sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment before turning around to face Eliza. "What is it, Cadet Manton?" she asked brusquely, "Make it fast. You can't be losing your team, because they _will _leave you. This is a time-sensitive issue."

Eliza hesitated, suddenly getting nervous, but she pushed on. "I was wondering about Melody, ma'am," she said, "You can't have meant that we're supposed to kill her."

It was Madame Kovarian that spoke up next, not speaking to Eliza, but Perez. Her arms were crossed and she looked like she was getting ready to argue. That was usually how most of her conversations with Perez ended up anyways. "You cannot kill her, Perez," she said with just enough smugness for her colleague to hear, "The Doctor can worm his way out of any trap-"

"Yes, just like the honey badger trap _you _tried with him," Madame Perez interrupted, turning her head slightly to see Kovarian. She smiled. "_Obviously _your plan fell through, or else we wouldn't be here."

"Time can be re-written, " Kovarian pointed out, cocking her head, "Isn't that what he always says?"

"And since when did we start listening to our enemy?"

"We don't have time for your bickering," a deep voice said, and both turned to see one of their bosses looking back and forth between them, "Decide now, Madame Perez, and choose wisely. We cannot afford any more losses."

Perez thought quickly. She tried to use a tactic. She didn't want Madame Kovarian to win, even if it meant the loss of the whole organization. Perez was that competitive and sure that she was going to win. She didn't _need_ Melody… Or maybe… The woman smirked. The Calvierri school hadn't just taken anyone in off the street, no. Not only did Francisco and Sophia have to agree on their beauty, but also their intelligence and wit and charm and craft. They wanted the best for when they rebuilt their species after all, and they had really struck gold when she let Perez in. She was adaptable and smart, and she knew how to assess the strengths and weaknesses in someone. Perez saw a lot of potential in Eliza, especially right now.

She turned back around to face the young teenager. "Don't worry, Cadet Manton," Perez said finally, her voice almost too sweet, but not enough to alarm Eliza, "I will cause no harm to Melody Pond, as long as she really is on our side."

"She is," Eliza replied immediately. Her best friend would never be a traitor, especially not for the mother that abandoned her and killed her friend's father in a dark alley, and not for the man for who Melody _knew _tore worlds apart. She just wouldn't.

"Then you'll have nothing to worry about," Perez responded instantly, nodding, "Now, I'll send your squadron a message."

"Why?"

Perez smiled. "Well, you're staying with me, of course."

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	34. Hurting Her Is Too Maddening

**Hello!(: Guess who finally has internet at their home...? ME. So I can actually post more regularly... Though... I'm still the lazy person I was yesterday, so. ANYWAYS. **

**This chapter title is from the song "Hideaway" by Passion Pit. I'm really just digging Passion Pit lately, and when I listen to the lyrics of this song I think of a certain character who's definitely going to be affected by what happens in this chapter. **

**Let us recall the fact that my name is not Steven Moffat. Far from it. I am also a teenage girl, and look nothing like him. I also don't work for BBC... Yet. Herego, I own nothing. Well, besides people that you have never seen on the show before. Gotta give myself SOME credit. Also. REVIEW TO GET A SNEAK PEEK. Mostly, this is just a lonely writer's way of trying to make friends. So... Be my friend. :) And most importantly...**

**ENJOY!**

The air filled with the sound of gunshots and metal swords clashing against metal, the crackling of alien technology and the electricity forming around the Silence's fingers. Amy could see that her line was coming up. They all had it planned out. The first two lines cleared for everyone else. Her, Rose, Rory , and Jack were going to go find the control room to see where the Doctor was being kept. Then they'd radio over to Vastra, who would go with Jenny and meet up with Liz X and the crew of pirates to get the Time Lord. Meanwhile, Rory would change gears and turn from the Last Centurion to Nurse Boy. Him and Martha were going to take the wounded and heal them as much as they could in the med bay. That was when Amy would change her plans. She knew this was when she could find Melody and they could leave after she killed the Doctor. Amy had to. He was a danger to the universe and she'd rather it be her that did it than the Silence. They would give him no dignity, no pride left. Although Amy would break his two hearts, at least she could give him that.

There was one more line in front of her, waiting until the one before them made it far enough so that they could enter the next corridor. She took a deep breath, looking at Rory one more time. "Are you alright?" he asked, and Amy could certainly tell that he wasn't. Rory knew that she didn't get scared easily. Hell, Amy was one of the most confident people he knew, and even if she was, she wouldn't let it show. He pretended to ignore that last part. Rory could be brave for Amy. "Not scared?"

He may look like a brave soldier in all his armor, but she could tell he didn't feel so heroic at the moment. But fear was what kept people alive. It was love and unselfishness that had always killed Rory. "Scared? Who's scared?" Amy asked, shaking her head a little bit, a clever smirk on her lips, "_Geronimo_."

The other line started to pull out, and just as Amy took a step forward, someone grabbed the back collar of her jacket. "I don't think so, Red," an American voice said from behind her.

Amy groaned, about ready to turn and bite his arm off. "Jack!" she shouted. Rory stopped, hesitating. He wasn't sure what was going on, and neither was the rest of the people going. "Let go of me!"

"You're staying here, Amy," he said as she turned around, somehow not laughing or smirking at her upset face, "Stick with Martha."

"But-" she began to protest, but could see that Jack was being very serious about this.

"The reason we started this whole thing was because the Doctor was looking for you," the captain explained, crossing his arms. He knew that Amy wouldn't book it. And if she tried, he was sure he could keep up with her. "You think he'd want you out there fighting? Hell no. And he'll kill everyone for letting you out. I mean, I guess it doesn't matter for me, since I can't die anyways, but Martha's young. She's got potential."

Martha cracked a smile, but one look at Amy made her try to suppress any laughter that could have come out. "Jack's right, Amy," Rose said. She knew how Amy felt, of course. The Doctor had cared a lot about her too, at one point, and she had had to deal with him treating her like glass at times. Still, she'd seen what it was like for him when he lost someone he loved. After all, Rose was the one that broke his hearts by choosing the Meta-Crisis Doctor. Even if it was what he had wanted for her. "The Doctor wants you safe."

"I'll be fine!" she argued, "I'm not damsel-in-distress that needs to be hid away in a TARDIS!"

"No," Jack agreed, "You're the Doctor's companion, and you need to be hidden away in a time machine. You're staying here."

Rory knew that Amy wouldn't like this. She didn't like missing out, and she especially didn't like anyone thinking she was weak. He wondered if Jack really thought that she would follow orders though. Orders were never Amy's thing ever. The Doctor had learned that quick enough. Still, maybe if it was _him _saying something, she'd listen. Because Rory agreed with this whole-heartedly. He hated it when Amy put the Doctor's life over her own, when she put herself in danger just for him, and he'd told the Time Lord numerous times before to keep her in check.

"Amy," Rory said, laying a hand down on her shoulder. He could tell she was just about to toss it off her, but then she looked over at him and seemed to change her mind. "Stay here, please. We'll get the Doctor."

"They have Melody here too, Rory," Amy murmured. Rory didn't understand that she was fighting for a whole other side. He didn't understand that he was rooting for the wrong side. It wasn't the Doctor that was a bad person, Amy knew. But it was his past and his present and his future. They were all tying in together in this very place, and it would tear the whole universe apart if he wasn't killed yet.

She knew that the news that their daughter was here would change everything for Rory. Amy could see it in his eyes. He was even more determined than before. If there was anyone that wanted a normal family with someone who loved them, it was Rory. That was his big dream, after all. "Are you sure?"

"Where else would she be?" Amy pointed out, "Everyone's here, all the Silence. That means Madame Kovarian and Melody."

"Then I'll find her too," Rory immediately said, and Amy knew that he was not only promising it to her, but to himself as well. "We can save River and Melody and the Doctor. We can save everyone. You have to stay here though."

"Why?"

"You could die."

"So could you, Stupid."

"Yeah, well, I've sort of gotten used to it."

Amy crossed her arms and looked at Rory for a long moment. People were starting to get antsy and they were all waiting on her, to see if she would do as she was told. After a few moments, she let her body slump in defeat, biting her lip and nodding. Amy looked back up at Rory, who was already starting to smile, and she could see the slight disbelief in his face that she was actually listening. "Fine," she said, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. She half-smiled. "Go on, then, Soldier."

Rory grinned and headed out the door, a few WWII soldiers in front of him, Rose and Jack following behind. The dark-haired man smiled at Amy before they left, glad to escape any wounds. She sighed, and turned back to Martha and John. She frowned. "And what are you doing here? You said you're not the real Doctor, but you're not a real _doctor _either, are you?"

John laughed at this and shook his head, his hands in his pockets and rectangular frames now on his face. "Actually, no," he said, "But I've still got a little of _the _Doctor in me, and the old man's always been good with computers. Especially computer viruses." The redhead knew that one. The first time he'd come back for her, he saved the world with a virus that came from Rory's phone. Really, all it seemed to do was turn a bunch of numbers into zeroes. Amy didn't see how that was going to help. John seemed to know a bit of what she was thinking and continued explaining. "Oh, I'm detonating the whole place the minute the TARDIS leaves Trenzalore's orbit."

"Great," Amy muttered, sitting down on one of the nearby lounge chairs, "Love a good explosion." What they didn't know was that she was less upset about the destruction of the planet that was all ruins anyways, and more upset that they'd just given her a time limit. Amy didn't plan on staying put. When the bodies started coming back in need of repairs, she was going to use that as a distraction, find Melody and Rory, put them in an escape pod, and join them right after she killed the Doctor.

Thank God for that acting class she took when she was fifteen.

* * *

><p>The Doctor didn't always tell Amy everything, at least not at first. Still, she couldn't get it off her mind. What was wrong with her? It was making her sick. She was dying. They were killing her slowly, just like Amy had suspected. She didn't blame the Doctor, if that's what he was thinking, for making her wait again. It was a clever trick, after all, what the Silence had done. Amy knew she would have fallen for it too. Then again, he was always a little smarter than her. He had a whole ion of knowledge and she was still only twenty-four.<p>

"How do you know your time machine is going to be out of the building?" Melody asked, turning back to the Doctor with a small frown on her face. It was clear that there was still a part of her that didn't trust him, the part that had been drilled into her that he was a life-ruiner and did nothing but fly around in space ruining lives for sport. "From what Madame Perez said, you don't have it anymore."

The Time Lord sensed this of course and looked down at her for a second, thinking. "Right… You're a right clever clock, aren't you, Little Pond?" he said, clearing his throat. The Doctor refused to have River Song make a fool out of him one more time, especially when she was barely a teenager. No way would his past self ever live that down. "Well, if you must know, my TARDIS is being piloted by my-"

The Doctor stopped, a broken gasp escaping him. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and gripped where his left heart would be. A hand reached out and grabbed the nearest wall to hold himself up. The Ponds immediately stopped walking, and Amy ran to his side. "Doctor?" she asked, her voice borderline frantic. He wanted to remind her that she had to reign her emotions in, but he was a little busy at the moment. "Doctor? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he managed to wheeze out, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. The Doctor was realizing something. He couldn't figure out what it was. He was a little more focused on everything else, but there was definitely something there, something he was missing. Something important. "Well, not really, but I'm working it out. " He hadn't meant to say that. It was too late now though, and the pain was starting to subside. The Doctor straightened up and fixed his bow tie. He looked at a worried Amy and gave her a smile. "See?" he breathed, his voice sounding a bit more normal, "Perfectly okay. Now, shall we-"

Something interrupted the Doctor again, and it was the sound of a gun. Immediately, Melody raised hers up in the direction of the noise. There was more screaming and yelling. Amy frowned. "What's going on?" she asked.

"I think that would be my back-up," the Doctor answered, trying to get a glimpse. He looked over at Melody and Amy. "Ponds, hide for a moment." He didn't know what was going on, but it was safe to assume that his friends hadn't listened to him about keeping their operation to get Amy back quiet. It didn't matter though, because now they were here, and the Doctor had gotten to her first. Perhaps they really could all survive. Even him.

Amy and Melody did as they were told, flattening themselves beside the Doctor against the wall of the corridor. He peeked over and saw a soldier that was working for the Silence. A long, dark tongue lashed out, though he couldn't see to whom it belonged to. The man fell to the ground, screaming in agony and Vastra emerged, watching gleefully as she watched the venom spread through the man's veins. "You got some great aim on that one, ma'am," a small voice said from behind her.

Vastra turned around and there was an even bigger smile on her face, one that was more than just sick glee, but love. "Thank you, Jenny," she said, "Any word from the others?"

"No, ma'am," Jenny replied, walking up into view. She turned on the communicator device and started speaking into it. "Any word on where the Doctor is?"

"Negative," a voice said, a very familiar one that made Amy's heart ache. She knew who was on the other line. She would always know that voice. "Has anyone tried the west wing yet?"

"Rory…" she murmured. The Doctor looked at her from the corner of his eye and mentally sighed. He should have left her with her husband. He should have told her that the psychic paper was something else, lied, argued with her. Now look at what he got her into.

"Not yet," another voice responded. This one was a woman, clearly from London. Amy didn't recognize it. "I found the prison cells, though. They're empty."

"Try the west wing," Rory said firmly, then added hesitantly, "And… Jack, will you stop looking at me like that?"

"Is that an order?" Jack asked, a teasing edge to his voice. Amy knew this was the Jack she had met back in that alley in Cardiff. "I love it when you give me orders, Rory."

The Doctor started smiling, but Madame Vastra took the communicator from Jenny's hands. "Why don't you get back to us once you're done with your flirty banter then?"

"That might take a while," Jack laughed. Meanwhile, Rory was trying to talk over him. "We are _not _flirting! Jack, just help Rose check the west wing!" Rose was just laughing the whole time.

The Doctor was chuckling now. That was Jack for you. The only thing that was bothering him though was the fact that they were looking for _him_ and not Amy. He stepped out of his spot, using a small hand gesture to tell Amy and Melody to maintain their position. "No need to check the west wing," he called out. Caught by surprise, Vastra lashed out her tongue, to which the Doctor neatly dodged , and Jenny had her own gun drawn. The Doctor raised his hands up. "Sorry. I know, I know. Eavesdropping. Bad habit, I'm trying to give it up."

Vastra relaxed and Jenny lowered her gun, letting out a relieved laugh. "I shouldn't be surprised that you escaped already," the reptilian woman smiled.

"I had some friends help me out," he said with a shrug, "So, where is everyone?"

"Jack and Rory are in the control rooms looking at security tapes, looking for you. Everyone else is doing a blind search, running through each corridor."

"Pretty blunt strategy," the Doctor noted.

She tilted her head and smirked. "Well, most of them have no idea what they're up against, Doctor. A straight clean-out seemed good enough. Besides, since we found your companion, all we needed was to get you."

The Doctor frowned. "What do you mean you found my companion? Amy?" he asked.

"Yes, Amy Pond. Unless you have another companion we're all supposed to be looking for."

"_I _found Amy," he corrected, "At least she found me."

"Doctor, your Amy is still in the TARDIS," Jenny said, confusion written all over her face. "Cap'n Jack says you would've killed us had we let her go again. We just talked to her a couple minutes ago."

There was something wrong. The Doctor had been with Amy a couple minutes ago. A couple minutes ago, they had been walking through the hall and trying to find the fire exit. They'd been quiet, the Doctor not wanting to say anything more about the matter of his name, and knowing that was _all _Amy wanted to talk about at the moment. And the fact that she was, well, supposed to be dead at the moment. There was just no way a human could have such high levels. But that was another mystery to deal with later. Right now, a new one was presenting itself.

The Doctor looked back at where Melody and Amy were supposed to be hiding. He caught a small piece of red hair wisping out of place. If Amy knew where the TARDIS was, why hadn't she taken him there? Unless… "Put Amy on the communicator," he ordered, walking over to Vastra. His tone was serious, and the two women were suddenly very confused as to why the Time Lord's attitude had changed. "Ring her. _Now_."

Vastra switched on the communicator and channeled it to the signal that the station that they were all supposed to be on. There was a bunch of chatter, Rory and Jack trying to find the Doctor's location, and many others sending reports about their current whereabouts and the situations they were in. "It's busy," she said, "I'll try for the signal that just the TARDIS should pick up on. We set one up for when Martha and Rory make runs for the wounded."

He didn't say anything, just watched. There was something wrong and the Doctor was going to figure it out right here and now. Vastra heard the clear static of the station and hit the button. "Amy, Martha?" she said into the device, "Are you both still there?"

It took a moment for one of them to respond, but it was one of the longest moments the Doctor had felt all day. The static cleared as another person responded. "Yup," a very bored person replied. It suddenly perked up though. "Why? Is there any news?"

The Doctor knew right away who it was. There was only one person that had that voice, who had that Scottish accent and popped the "p" on "Yup," who sounded like they were dying a slow, painful death when they got bored, but instantly perked up when they thought they were getting something they wanted. He looked behind him, and there was Amy, peeking her head out. She had a scared, hesitant expression on her face, and suddenly the Doctor didn't know what to think. How could he have been so blind?

"Hello?" Amy called from over the communicator, but the Amy before him wasn't saying anything, "Vastra? Jenny? You there?"

Vastra and Jenny had already looked up and seen the other redhead coming from adjacent hallway. Their mouths hung open a little, their faces more shocked, while the Doctor's was just filled with anger and distrust. "If Amy's in the TARDIS…" Jenny murmured, "Then who is that?"

"Good question," the Doctor said in a low voice, as Vastra muttered something to the Amy that was in the TARDIS and telling her that they were wondering if they'd gotten any report from Jack, Rose, and Rory. The conversation ended pretty quickly.

"Doctor, it's me," Amy said. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. She _never _thought he would look at her like this. It was the quiet anger, the look he gave to his foes to warn them that he wasn't all bow ties and jammy dodgers . There was a storm brewing underneath it all. "Please believe me, it is."

"If you're Amy," he replied, his tone guarded, quiet, and then it grew a little louder. The Doctor pointed a finger towards the comm unit. "Explain to me who _she _is!" The Doctor could see it now. Whoever this person was in front of him, it wasn't Amy. That was why she looked so weak. She wasn't fully human, perhaps a ganger that was still trying to become a solid form. And that could explain why she could take such high levels of an alien toxin. She wasn't human. This wasn't the real Amy.

She had a whole speech planned out. Amy was going to tell him that it was her ganger, that she was real and that she had watched, every night, as he gallivanted around with her copy. She was going to tell him that he had been tricked and he was too in love and blind to have noticed that he was with the wrong person. But the first word she tried to say came out choked. Amy was crying, and she couldn't stop. Why was she crying so much? "I- I…" Her sobs were making her body shake, and she fought for control, sniffling.

The Doctor's face remained still, stony. "You can't say it, can you?" he asked. He wouldn't fall for these tears. It would be his weakness, he knew, and so did she, it seemed.

"I- I can!" she argued, wiping her tears. Amy was sad and angry, and everything she felt was coming out. "_She's _not real, you idiot! I've been here since that trip with River to that Mayan place!"

He frowned. No. She hadn't been here this long. That was _months _ago, and Amy… Had said earlier that she had been here for months. She could be lying. The Doctor didn't say anything, Amy still talking. "You came here, because I sent all those notes. You had to have seen them, I marked everything I could. Because museums. You _always _go to museums. To keep score! You have to believe me. You have to."

Everyone stared at the Doctor. Madame Vastra, Jenny, Amy, Melody. He opened his mouth to say something. He remembered something. She_ couldn't_ be lying. And it all fit. It was horrible, but it fit. "I believe you," he murmured. Amy always believed every word he told her, even when it wasn't the whole truth, and the Doctor was believing in her now, in the Girl That Waited. He rushed up to her and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Pond. I am so, so, _so _sorry! And thick! How could I have not noticed?"

Amy laughed into his shoulder, suddenly just happy that he didn't look at her like an enemy anymore. "They did a pretty convincing job, if I do say so myself," she said, "Now, can we go back to the TARDIS so I can beat her bloody backside?"

The Doctor pulled away and laughed. "Easy, Pond," he said, "We'll get you back to the TARDIS, but I'll take care of her myself."

"Ooh, I don't think so, Doctor," Amy argued, even though she had _really _meant to say this in her head. She had planned on doing the whole "Of course I won't follow after you… Until you're already in the building" kind of deal. Those things were Amy's specialty, but now her cover was blown.

He didn't say anything though, and Jenny started leading them towards the TARDIS. Melody got into a debate with her, seeing as she didn't know much about Silurians and Jenny was married to one. Amy continued holding her daughter's hand. The Doctor hung behind, and Vastra slowed beside him. "You believed in her so quickly, Doctor," the Silurian commented, "Please tell me you're not letting your hearts get in the way of your head. She could very likely have made that whole story up. You're endangering the whole operation."

"Wasn't the whole operation supposed to be saving Amelia?" the Doctor pointed out, but as he looked at Vastra, he knew she wasn't giving up easily. He gave a small smile, tucking his hands together behind his back. "I guess you could say it was because she's Amy and I have to believe her."

"Doctor-!" Vastra started, about to lecture him, but he stopped her.

"But it might also have to do with the fact that I gave Amy a med scan with the sonic, and her bloodstream is 58% full of veritoxin."

"A truth toxin?" she asked immediately, recognizing it from something she'd read once, a book perhaps. "A very useful method for bio-warfare. Definitely not a human substance."

"No," the Doctor agreed, "They tried to use in WWIV, using gas chambers. The humans couldn't handle it. They died within a few minutes, and that was just with low doses. Amy has five times that. If she gets any higher, she has enough veritoxin in her to kill, well… Anyone in the universe that has some in them. It's a nasty chemical and overdosing _will_ kill you. That's why most interrogations were a one-time thing with hostages. They didn't come back from it. The interrogators just killed them afterwards! After all, they had everything they needed, asked all the questions they wanted, and got all the answers with little to no resistance-"

"But then how does Amy have so much?" Madame Vastra pointed out, going to the point to avoid the rest of the Doctor's babble, "She has five times what would cause human death. Why is she not dead?"

The Doctor's expression turned grave. "That's what I'm trying to figure out, but look." He held his screwdriver and scanned Amy from afar, flicking it up to show the readings when it was done. Vastra saw the number. 60%. "It's moving up. And it's already affecting her now."

The two looked ahead of them. She thought about Amy's emotions, how extreme they'd been. It wasn't like people normally were, especially Amy, when she lied or masked or covered up what she was thinking or feeling. It all came out. In floods. She was like a young teen venting to her diary, except now the _world_ was her notebook. And then her appearance. The reptilian woman was noticing everything that the Doctor was had seen when _he _first saw her. She was paler than she usually was, definitely weaker in not just an emotional sense, but a physical sense as well. All the color Amy had in her eyes and skin and hair looked as if they were being slowly sucked out. And now Vastra knew why the Doctor looked so grave.

Amy was being affected by the veritoxin. She had high doses in her that could kill any human, and though she certainly wasn't lying cold dead on the ground, it was clear to see that Amy wasn't surviving. She was dying, just very slowly.

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	35. How Am I Gonna Be An Optimist About This

**Hey, guys! In case you didn't see the author's note (which I deleted as soon as I published this), my laptop was stolen. It had all my documents and beautiful gifs... Sighs. Anyways, I have a new computer now, so no more delays! :D I'm going to try to spit out as many chapters as I can, though some are probably going to be shorter than usual... Like this one. I just really want to finish this story up for you guys, the ones that are still around, because you've all been so patient and understanding! **

**So, the song I took the title from is from "Pompeii" by Bastille. It's kind of my favorite song right now. **

**I own nothing. Not the show and none of its canon characters. Also, send in a review to get a sneak peek! I'm going to give one to the people that reviewed to the last chapter and the author's note just to make it up to them. Okay, I'm done talking(: Enjoy!**

Amy was bored. She could hear all the fighting outside, but she couldn't do anything. She knew that Martha couldn't leave until Rory was back, and Rory couldn't come back until he found the Doctor on one of the security cameras. But what if they couldn't find him? What if they found her original form first? Amy decided she could make a pretty easy argument if they did something. The only person around that could tell the difference was probably Rory, but not even the Doctor had questioned in. Still, Rory had fourteen years on the Time Lord that he couldn't get back.

John pulled up beside Amy. He was pretty bored too, and had spent the majority of the time talking to Martha. They knew each other much better than Amy, which just made the redhead feel like even more of an outsider. Usually, she would try to switch the table, bump up her confidence, and make them include her, but she didn't have the energy for it. Not when it was a time where everything was at stake.

She turned her head to look at the man beside her, not saying anything for a minute, her arm resting on her knee and holding her head up. He smiled and waggled his fingers in a playful wave. Amy blinked. "Sorry," she said, looking away for a moment before turning back to talk to him, "I just can't believe he used to look like you. It's like a whole other-"

"Man, I know," John finished, chuckling, "That's what they usually say. Well, not exactly, but I know they thought it. It can be awkward sometimes. They never know if it's the same Doctor they know and travelled with. Rose told me about it once. She'd fallen in love with one man, and then all of a sudden, he was a whole other person, a new face, and a slightly different personality. It was like he died in a way."

She pursed her lips. "Yeah, I guess it's like that," Amy said. She did care for the Doctor, despite what he meant and what destruction he brought. That was why she had held back on killing him all that time, and as time ticked closer and closer to the inevitable, why she decided it was going to be her that killed him here. "I mean, I just can't imagine the Doctor without the fezzes and the bow ties, you know? He's my Raggedy Man, and I look at you and you're… Not him."

"Well, that is true," John pointed out.

Amy smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. "You know what I mean," she said.

"See," John smiled back, "You only just met me, but you're already comfortable around me. Because even though I'm not him, he was me. The man I was copied from is still in the real Doctor. Technically, you've known me for much longer."

"Like the Dream Lord," Amy murmured to herself. It was a part of the Doctor that was also a whole separate being. It was him, but not. John was much better though. He didn't pick on the Doctor at all, didn't point out every flaw. Didn't wear that gross seduction robe that the Dream Lord had when he'd separated her from the boys. John was actually far more upbeat and happy, though a different type from his next regeneration. It wasn't childish and whimsical, but… Bouncy and energetic. He didn't seem so old. Amy wondered what had happened between the tenth and eleventh regenerations that had changed that. Because even though her Doctor acted like a child, there was still that look in his eyes. A level of sadness that wasn't in John's. Amy supposed it must have something to do with Rose. John got the girl that loved him and a happy, normal life. The Doctor lost a companion he'd maybe let in a little too close.

"The Dream Lord?"

"Never mind," she said with a shake of her head, still on the same tangent. Amy looked at John seriously. If there was anyone who could sympathize with her, it'd be him. "I have a question."

John frowned. "This isn't going to be an easy one, is it?"

Amy smiled quickly, laughing shortly before returning back to her original subject. "Oi, you tell me," she replied, smiling softly. Amy nervously tucked back her hair behind her ear. "I just- I'm curious. Do you... Feel real? I mean, don't you ever remember that you're just… Not the real thing?"

There it was. The sadness. As she watched the change in John's eyes, Amy realized this must actually be what the Doctor carried with him all the time. How he wore it was what changed through the regenerations. John's Doctor was better at hiding it, it seemed. Or maybe Amy was just rubbish at telling his feelings apart.

"Sometimes," John admitted, "There's days when I look at Rose and wonder if she's thinking about the real him, wishing she was in the TARDIS and still going off on all those adventures."

"What do you do about it?"

John shrugged. "I talked to her about it, when we first were together," he explained, "There was a time where we didn't speak to each other. It was just awkward. I was what she wanted, but I wasn't him. And she didn't understand what I wanted. The Doctor doesn't do domestic, and Rose thought that I didn't really want that either. When we talked it out, she told me that she didn't want alien adventures anymore. She wanted the smaller ones, children, marriage, growing old together. Living is an adventure in itself. So, I remember what she said, and I trust that she still means it."

"And what about her?" Amy asked, "Is she still worried about you hitting some mid-life crisis and trying to find yourself a TARDIS?"

He laughed. "No," he answered, "She knows I won't do that, because I told her. The Doctor doesn't do domestic, because he can't. Not because he doesn't want to." John knew about the Doctor's past, his first wife, his parents, his children and grandchildren. He had a family, but he'd run from it all. The Doctor was never good at staying in one place. He got too bored, too quickly.

"Being a copy of the Doctor doesn't make me a copy of the Doctor," John went on, "I thought it did, at first. Then, I thought I was the man that got to live how he didn't. I got to make selfish choices and grow old with someone I loved without constantly feeling like I was dying of boredom. Finally, I realized… We are two completely different men. I've lived a life he has no idea about, and clearly he's lived a life I have no clue about either. We may have the same face and share some personality traits and memories, but you could say that about siblings or ancestors."

Amy didn't say anything after that, in a deep thought. She gave him a small smile and turned away. Was it the same in her situation? Was she just a copy, or was she more? There was a time when Amy just felt like a shadow of her real version. That was when her whole mission was to kill the Doctor. But then she'd gone and fallen for the same things her original had. And that made her question if she was more like the real Amy Pond than she had originally thought. Now, she supposed, she was in that second stage. She was the Amy that made the smart, unselfish decisions. She was the Amy that would choose Rory and Melody over everything, that would part ways with the Doctor because she was smart enough to know that someone like him had to have enemies, and that he had them for a good reason.

Maybe there could be a day where she wasn't Amy Pond at all, but her own separate person. With her and Rory and Melody, all together at last. Amy thought about this, growing quiet. John seemed to sense that she was done talking about it and instead went back to the TARDIS, talking away about how fascinating the new control system was, how beautifully bonkers. Amy started to tune him out when he started whispering to the TARDIS. Time Lord or not, he shared the same love for the time machine and it creeped her out the same exact way..

It was quiet like this for about ten minutes or so when the doors opened. Amy and John were expecting Martha and Rory to be back with any of the hurt soldiers, and she was a bit happy. This could be when she escaped to find Melody. Not to mention, it would help her boredom some. But it wasn't Martha, nor was it Rory. John frowned, his brow wrinkling. "What the devil are you lot doing here?" he asked, "This wasn't part of the plan."

The Doctor didn't answer him. His mouth was in a straight, grim line and his eyes were filled with anger and… Betrayal. Amy took a deep breath in. He knew. It was more than just that usual look he gave her when he realized that she had followed him into the scary situation… Three other figures walked in through the doors. Vastra and Melody were pulling at a very sickly looking Amy, who was pale as a ghost, paler than her usual self. "Take her into the med bay," the Doctor ordered, his eyes not meeting theirs but staying on the ganger. He pointed a finger at her. "I don't have time for clever games. Tell me what they've done to Amy."

The ganger frowned, crossing her arms. When she imagined it, the Doctor finding out, she hadn't expected it to be this way. Then again, she hadn't expected something to be wrong with the real Amy, and that was something that changed the equation completely when it involved him. Amy almost felt flattered, until she remembered that it wasn't her that he felt so protective over. It was the girl getting dragged away to the med bay. She shrugged, knowing the Doctor wanted a reply, and quickly. "I don't know," she answered.

His eyes narrowed. "Yes, you do," he argued, "You mean to tell me that they didn't say anything about their big scheme. You're obviously not surprised about there being two Amys, so you know something of this. And I swear on my life that if my Amy Pond dies in there… You will regret it."

Amy didn't liked this, the way he was looking at her. She knew it was only fair, that she deserved it. It was just that he had never looked at her like this, like she was the enemy. But that was exactly what she was. Her gaze softened. "Doctor, I'm not lying," Amy said, "The minute they made me, they set me off to find you at the Aztec temple. They told me to distract you and keep you away from here. They never said anything about hurting her, I swear."

John studied the interaction carefully. It was like he didn't exist between the two. Everything was clicking together though. It was clear that this Amy had tricked the Doctor. She was working for the Silence, and John pitied the Time Lord. If something was really wrong with Amy… He didn't know how he would move past this death. Finally, the Doctor had given into his weaknesses and truly let himself love a companion. And his enemies had used it against him. John knew that was why the Doctor had given him Rose. Not only could he never give her a human life, but he was afraid of her being used against him. It seemed like this regeneration of the Doctor had forgotten that until he was already too deep. Whatever the case was, he felt awkward being there. "I'm going to go help Vastra with the med bay," John said, clearing his throat as he started walking out, "Lizard woman from the 1800s… Can't really trust what her medical background is."

The Doctor was too busy scanning the ganger with his sonic screwdriver to take notice. Amy was too focused on the opportunity at hand. As soon as she heard John's footsteps fade away into silence, the redhead smacked the screwdriver out of the Doctor's hands, quickly taking out her own gun she'd hidden. The Time Lord backed away, raising both his hands up. "Might have forgot to mention the bit where I'm supposed to kill you," she said, her eyes boring into his.

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	36. Run Before They're Finding Me Out

**OKAY OKAY I KNOW. I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A WHILE SO FEEL FREE TO HATE ME. BUT THANKS TO ANY OF THE MERCIFUL BEINGS OUT THERE THAT CHOOSE TO FORGIVE. I definitely have an excuse! I decided to stop publishing the chapters until I had a whole grip of them so that I could start updating on a weekly basis, but... School and Tumblr and life. THE GOOD NEWS is that I actually do have a grip of chapters, so for the next few weeks, I _will _be updating on a weekly basis(: **

**But let's get down business now! Since it's been so long, I shall remind all readers that if they send in a review, I will send them a sneak peek of the next chapter. Also, legal matters. Anything you've seen on the _real _show of Doctor Who (you know, the one you find on TV on that one channel called BBC?) is not mine. Totally belongs to BBC and troll king, Steven Moffat. I'm sorry if this news shocks you. The title is a line from "I Just Wanna Run" by Downtown Fiction. The whole song kinda reminds of the Doctor, really, but... The title is kinda how ganger!Amy is feeling haha.  
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**I just want to say thanks to anyone that's still following along with the story! I'm trying my best to finish it up for you guys!**

"I'm going to kill her," Amy seethed.

Madame Vastra exchanged a look with John as she held the human woman on the bed. Melody sat off to the side on a white chair, her feet kicking back and forth playfully. The fact that she was holding an alien machine gun shattered that image of innocence. John cleared his throat as his fingers moved across a keyboard that gave him readings on Amy's health. He frowned at the screen.

Amy noticed. "What is it?" she asked.

"Well, I'm just reading your vital signs," John said, "We haven't done any real scans yet, but… Your stamina is down. _Well, everything _is down." He didn't lie to Amy. Lying wouldn't make her any better, and it certainly wouldn't improve her mood. John saw the levels of veritoxin in her blood and knew how dangerous it was getting. Actually, it was way past dangerous at this point. It was beyond deadly for a human at the levels Amy had. John might hold back on _that _part.

The reptilian woman noticed Melody's alarm and Amy's still-present confusion. "Is there anyway to reverse it?" To be honest, Vastra wasn't just asking for the well-being of Amy. She was also doing it for the well-being of the Doctor. Because the well-being of the Doctor was the well-being of the universe. If the girl he was in love with died, the rage and the sadness, the renewed loneliness… Vastra didn't know if time and space could handle it.

John pursed his lips slightly, then relaxed them. An angular eyebrow lifted up and he sighed. "I suppose so," the man replied, rubbing a hand over his face, "We'll have to detox her bloodstreams, and it'll be difficult with such high percentages. If it goes any higher, it's like her whole circulatory system will be veritoxin-"

"But now that they're not poisoning her, she'll be okay," Melody pointed out, though her childishness didn't leave her. She bit her lip, looking at her mother doubtfully. "Won't she?"

"Can we stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Amy interjected grumpily, "I'm right here, thanks, and I would _love _to know what's going on!"

Vastra sighed. "We think you were poisoned," she said, "Both the Doctor and John Smith here found out that you have high levels of veritoxin, a truth gas. It's much more advanced than your time, but apparently it's filling your system right now."

Amy arched an eyebrow. "And since when were truth gases so bad?" she asked, "Not that I want to say everything I think, but it's not like it's that dramatic, yeah?"

The reptilian looked at Amy for a long moment. "The problem is that you should be dead by now. The amount of veritoxin in your system... It's impossible that you're standing and breathing right here with us."

Melody turned her head to look at her mother, afraid. Amy knew that she should be strong for her daughter, that she should hide her own fear, but she just couldn't. That only made her more scared. She was supposed to be dead, but she wasn't, and she couldn't control herself. Amy needed the Doctor here, to hold her and kiss her forehead and tell her that she was going to be alright. But she didn't know if that was going to work this time. From the look on John's face, this was a situation that even a clone of a Time Lord couldn't solve.

* * *

><p>"You know, the Silence should <em>really <em>give up on hiring women to kill me," the Doctor scoffed, "Some might admire their persistence, but I think they're just being really uncreative."

Amy shrugged. It was hard to not laugh at his jokes. It was hard to be on this side of the pointed weapon. But there was no other way that this could work. The universe was counting on her. "They corrected their mistake," Amy said, "With my daughter, they took a girl you didn't know, the daughter of the woman you love. Seeing as how that didn't worked, they decided to go straight to the source."

The Doctor smirked humorlessly. "Why take the milk when you can have the whole cow?"

"It's not like it didn't work," she pointed out, "While you were always _so _suspicious of River… You never once questioned me." Amy watched the Doctor closely, how his jaw twitched and his hands, which had balled into fists, tightened. There was a flash of betrayal in his eyes, of embarrassment and humiliation, and Amy knew what he was thinking. "You shouldn't have ever fallen for me, Doctor."

"I didn't fall for _you_," he frowned.

She smiled, but it wasn't quite there. Amy just… Pitied him. "I know. I'm not her," she said for him, "But I want you to know that we're still very much alike. You are my friend-"

"Friends don't shoot friends last time I checked," he interrupted, not going to mention how very untrue that was.

"You know you can't live, Doctor. The oldest question in the universe will be answered here today. At Trenzalore. At least I'll be merciful about it."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You know, I've kept my name under wraps for _hundreds_ of years. The lack of faith to keep it secret is a bit insulting."

Her grip on the gun tightened and she shook her head. "Not this time, Doctor," she murmured, "It's all catching up, everything that's been chasing you and Amy. It's in the air."

"What do you _mean_ 'it's in the air'?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Amy shook her head. "It doesn't matter now." She had to do this and she had to do it now. "I'm sorry, Doctor." Everything in her hurt, but she had to remember who she was. She wasn't the woman he was in love with. She wasn't his best friend. John and the Doctor were completely separate people now, the only things binding them together being their past memories. It was just like her and the real Amy. She didn't need her to define what she was. And though the real Amy would never do this, her clone would. She exhaled, and feeling a moment of weakness, squeezed her eyes shut. She pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>"But I've been with my mum the whole time," Melody told everyone, "Why's she the only one?"<p>

Vastra looked at the young child. "They didn't need to poison you."

The redhead sat on the table, not looking at anyone. She couldn't. She felt tears roll down her cheeks, unable to stop them and now knowing why. Amy had been feeling too emotional for a while, and while she'd thought it was exhaustion, she now knew it was something else entirely. "So, I'm dying," she managed.

John frowned, his eyes sad. Amy smirked through her tears. "God, you're just like him in some ways," she said, "He gives me that same look whenever something's wrong with me. Like I've got cancer or something."

"Well, they're not very different scenarios," he shrugged, a corner of his lips twitching up. But that look was still there, the one that made Amy feel like a dog being put down to sleep. "Something inside your body that's slowly killing you?"

"Yeah, you're both also _really _bad at comforting," Amy nodded, laughing a bit. She stopped, wiping her tears. "Can we… I need to joke around right now, alright? Just… Keep me distracted, because if I think about it anymore, I'm going to kill myself before this vera-whatever has the chance to."

"Mum-" Melody started.

Amy looked at her, forgetting about how that might affect her daughter to hear something like that. "Sorry, Mels," she muttered, "Ugh, I _hate_ this stupid truth thing."

Vastra smiled softly at Amy. She didn't have the best sense of humor, but she would honor Amy's dying wish, because that's exactly what it was. "Don't worry," she said, "We won't interrogate you about your deepest, darkest secrets just yet, Amy."

_Bang! _

Everyone jumped at the loud sound that echoed through the halls. They were all killers, all soldiers in some way though, and they knew what that sound was. Amy's stomach filled with dread. She prayed that this would be the one time that the _Doctor_ was the one behind the gun. But she knew that he never was.

"Doctor!" she cried, shooting up from the hospital bed. She felt weak and sick, but she had to go to him. Adrenaline pushed her, but she knew she was still slow. Amy ran as fast as she could down the hall, having to stay near the wall to push herself against it. Vastra and John were already ahead of her, but Melody stayed with her mother, helping her along. "Help him!" she shouted at the two ahead of her. Either way, the Doctor would need it. If he had finally used a gun to shoot someone… Amy didn't know what it would be like, because the idea just seemed so impossible.

* * *

><p>The Doctor was laying on the glass floor of the TARDIS when John and Vastra came in. He always liked how warm it was from the glow of his ship's heart just beneath it. "Doctor?!" Vastra called down to him. She snapped her head up to the clone, who still had her gun pointed at him, her chest heaving and her eyes wide. The reptilian woman hissed at her, her tongue flicking out.<p>

The Time Lord sat up a bit, shifting his weight and gritting his teeth in pain. "No! I'm fine," he gasped, attempting to stand up. John immediately came to his side and helped him, but the clone Amy stopped him.

"Touch him and I'll shoot!" she threatened, earning another hiss from Vastra.

"Don't kill her!" the Doctor shouted, "Just nobody move!"

"Doctor, this isn't your Amy," Vastra reminded him angrily.

He saw the real Amy, _his _Amy practically limping into the room. She was doubled over, holding her stomach and breathing hard. The Doctor's two hearts broke at the sight of her, but he couldn't do this. He couldn't think about it. It was becoming so difficult to focus his energy into a distraction. "We need her," the Doctor said, looking over at Amy, "You were right about one thing. You're quite like my Amy. She's a lousy shot too."

"I'd hit you right now if I could… Reach you," the real Amy managed.

He chuckled. "Good thing I'm quick and used to dodging bullets, too," the Doctor shrugged, "Got me, but nothing fatal." He revealed the red spot in his abdomen. The blood was cool and sticky, the bloodstain fastly growing on his tweed jacket. The Doctor knew he could use a bit of regeneration energy to heal it, but first… "Tell me what you meant… Before."

The clone shook her head. "Doctor-"

"You've already failed!" he interrupted, "You shoot and kill me now, I have three and a half people to kill you immediately after. And if you're anything like my Amy, that's an outcome you don't want." Amy wasn't the martyr type. She was the one that would fight up until her last moment to live. The Doctor liked that about her, because even if some people said it was selfish of her, it was what he needed. He needed someone to fight during the moments he decided his life was less valuable than something else.

Amy looked at her clone, leaning against the railings as she made her way down the stairs. "Answer him," she said, "We both know you're not going to make it out of this alive if you don't. Because if they don't kill you, _I _will."

"Amy-" John started, but Amy shushed him.

"You don't think I know what you did?" she asked, "I saw _everything_. Whenever I went to sleep, I saw you." She saw the adventures, the laughs, the love… She watched her Doctor fall for it every time she closed her eyes. Amy continued to walk closer to her clone, who started to look nervous about who she should be pointing her gun at now. "And if you don't think I'm not royally pissed off, then the Silence is going to have to start improving the intelligence of you stupid things!"

The ganger stood there, examining everyone in the room and the likelihood that she would get out. If John or Amy weren't able to get her, she knew Vastra would. She knew what a Silurian's bite could do. And then there was Melody… Who she desperately just wanted to leave _with. _There wasn't any way. She had to tell them about the truth of Trenzalore, even if it would send the Doctor running away. But that was the thing with him and Amy. No matter how much they ran, it was always going to be right on their heels.

She looked at Amy, her eyes widening. Even if it hadn't ever been her experience, her room, her wall… It still struck the same fear in her, just as it did to anyone else in the universe that knew its true nature. "The crack in our bedroom wall," she murmured. "It's here."

"No," the Doctor replied, "I closed those cracks!"

Immediately, her eyes met his. Amy meanwhile, tried to hold on even tighter to the railing. For some reason, that crack was her biggest fear, even bigger than the Weeping Angels and the Silence. And she had no idea why. "Not this one," the ganger argued, "This one was re-opened… Just this _one_. The Silence knew you'd investigate if you ever found out, so they centered their base here… To keep you from it."

The Doctor frowned in confusion. Vastra stole the next question right from him though. "What do you mean?" she asked. She knew about the cracks in time that the TARDIS' explosion had caused. The Doctor had told her all about that. "They do realize what happens with a crack in time, don't they? It'll swallow this whole _planet _up! Why not let the man who fixed millions of them fix one more?"

"No," Amy said softly, looking up, "Doctor, you can't go back in there… What if I can't get you out this time?"

"He doesn't need to go in," the ganger replied. Her arm ached from holding the gun up, but she kept it where she was. She trusted the Doctor not to hurt her, but she couldn't speak for the others. "It's something that's trying to get out."

"What?" the Doctor asked, frustration in his voice. He always got so irritated when he didn't know the most about the situation, "What is it?"

The ganger sighed, giving him a sad look. "The thing you've been running from for hundreds of years."

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	37. Words Come Out

**Hi, guys! Long time, no see eh?(; No, actually I will definitely pride myself on the fact that this interval was shorter than my last! ANYWAYS. I was going to post this yesterday, seeing as that was the day I watched the series 8 premiere in the theaters, but... After party. Drinks. Pizza. Passed out. Yeah... I'M HERE NOW THOUGH. And I'm still a little uncertain about 12, but I think I can see myself growing to love him. **

**Now, let's get down to business to defeat the Hun, shall we? The chapter title was taken out of the song "Shark in the Water" by VV Brown. It's kind of a hint as to what the next chapters are going to be about since this one is kinda a filler. ALSO. I own nothing. They all belong to Steven Moffat and BBC, I promise. Also, review to get a sneak peek.  
><strong>

**Alright, I'm done now! Enjoy!**

Amy didn't fully understand what her ganger was saying, not at first. But it was clear that the Doctor knew. His face turned paler than she'd seen before, and there was that look in her eye, a look she had seen before on very rare occasions. When he talked about Gallifrey. It wasn't a popular subject for _either _to talk about. They both were so great at avoiding their emotional problems, and Amy didn't like it when the Doctor got like this. His old eyes filled with anger, guilt, regret, and loss. When she saw him look at the ganger with _those _eyes, she knew.

_The Time Lords_.

"That's impossible," John murmured, then gestured toward the Doctor and himself, "We sealed them off. It can't be them!"

The ganger shook her head. "But it is," she said, "When the TARDIS exploded, it caused cracks in all the parts of the universe that it had ever been. All the parts that _weren't _sealed off." She trained her eyes on the Doctor, her gun still aimed at him even though it was pointless to even pretend she was going to shoot him anymore. They were right. The ganger's survival chances didn't look good right now.

The Doctor shook his head, and Amy watched as his walls went back up, just leaving the anger. "It doesn't matter! I sealed them off before, I can do it again!"

"The password-" the ganger continued

"I won't _say_ it!" He knew very well. Gallifreyan was a beautiful language, one that could create stars as well as destroy them, give life to universes and seal them off to face their own endless doom. And there was one word that the Doctor knew very well would bring back his people, undo the choice he made centuries ago.

"You won't have a choice!" the ganger shouted back, "You can't run anymore, Doctor." Then turned her head to look at Amy. "And neither can you. I'm sorry. But this is where the Doctor will die, Amy. And you and everyone else in this universe will too if he doesn't die before he reaches the crack."

The Doctor's hands clenched into fists. He would _not _be told when he was to die, nor would he ever think about Amy dying, as inevitable as it always had been. The Time Lord opened his mouth to say so, but it seemed their argument was going to be put on hold, someone crashing in through the doors.

* * *

><p>Rory had fought a lot of difficult foes in his long life, including the life he lived guarding the Pandorica, and he had fought the Silence too, which was more than he could say for mostly all his other comrades. Experience didn't exactly help when you couldn't remember it, though. He turned about, making sure to always check all sides of him, to linger his gazes and keep his gun ready. For the thousandth time, he was so happy that the Doctor hadn't tried to convince him to wear that Centurion outfit again. Rory could only imagine how those skirts would be swishing right now.<p>

The headquarters of the Silence were quite stranger than last time at Demon's Run, or even in the reality that never happened on the Great Pyramids. Everything was metal and glass, though none of the windows opened, all sealed with the melted metal that formed the walls. And there were loud machines that looked like generators dispersed sporadically through the halls. And plants. Apparently, the Silence had decided to go green.

"Rory!" Martha shouted over the sound of electric bolts, gunshots, and cries of falling soldiers. The man darted his head over to where her voice had come from, seeing Mickey slumped and supported by her shoulders. He knew he wasn't dead, supporting himself as much as he could while his wife shushed him. She looked back to Rory. "I'm taking him back to the TARDIS," she told him as he made his way over, "I need you to cover me!"

Mickey had become quite a friend to Rory over the short amount of time they'd known each other. After all, they had so much in common, even with Rory not truly knowing the full relationship with the Doctor and Amy. He had seen some of their men fall already, WWII soldiers and pirates, but he'd be damned if Mickey was lost. Rory made sure to guard them to his best abilities as they ran down the halls. The three felt a small bit of accomplishment at how far they had pushed the Silence, the hallways they were walking in now littered with the enemy soldiers. The Silence hadn't been expecting such an ambush.

Rory could see from Mickey's injury that it would be fine, not life-threatening at all if they got the blood to stop. The TARDIS would have what they needed. They moved quickly and quietly, Mickey groaning a couple times as Martha tried to rush him, which only led to her trying to calm and console him. Rory gave a small nod at the few people securing the hall. If he had killed any Silence along the way, he couldn't remember now. One thing was for sure though, their unforgettable soldiers weren't focused on the TARDIS anymore. _For now_, Rory added, having learned to expect the worst in these sorts of situations.

He threw open the blue doors, ushering Martha and Mickey in, though Rory stopped and stared with wide eyes at the new scene he was taking in, something he hadn't expected to see.

Normally, the idea of two Amys would distract Rory in a different way, but there was so many things wrong with this picture that made the fantasy not even worth focusing on at the present moment. Firstly, _there were two Amys_, one with a gun pointed at the Doctor, who already looked injured. Secondly, his daughter. Thirdly, one of the Amys looked very weak_, too _weak. The stronger, healthier one turned to look at him, her eyes unreadable. This was the one he'd been with. She was still wearing the same outfit.

"I…. I'm confused," Rory said, holding up a finger slowly. The Doctor didn't even roll his eyes this time, as he usually did.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Martha asked, staring up at the situation for herself and getting straight to the point. She had just been in here less than a half an hour ago and things had been fine. She was happy to see the Doctor alive, of course, even if he was shot, but right now she was more focused on the fact that her _husband _had been shot. "Rory," she said, turning back, "Lock the doors. I'm taking Mickey to the medical bay. _Try _to get the Doctor in there."

Rory nodded, following Martha up the stairs. He noticed the sick Amy smile tearfully. He was scared of this Amy, whatever she was. She was a mess, and not like the kind of mess she was in the morning with her hair all over the place on their pillows, long limbs stretched in every direction possible and taking up the majority of their mattress. This was a different kind, a scary kind. She almost looked like death, and she was slowly trying to make her way to him. He met her halfway. Rory had no idea what was going on, if she was even the real Amy, but there was a chance that she was. And she was reaching out to him. Rory wouldn't refuse.

"I missed you," Amy breathed, burying her face into his shoulder only briefly before she pulled away, "Now kick the other one's backside, will ya? Seeing as I'm dyin' and all."

His eyes widened. "What?" Rory asked. He snapped his head towards the Doctor and the other Amy. "What the hell is going on? What's wrong with Amy?!"

"She was held captive by the Silence and replaced with this one," the Time Lord answered quickly, "Who shot me and is now even more outnumbered than before. Did you know I helped invent the Roman numeral system?"

"Doctor!" Rory sighed, exasperated. He was already having a hard time processing the other things, "We don't have time for your bloody stories!"

The Doctor pursed his lips. "I'm actually… Not quite sure why I said that…" he said slowly, "Interesting."

"What is?" Sick Amy asked.

"Working on it," the Doctor replied, "But… Right now, I don't have time because I have to hit this gun out of your ganger's hand!" Luckily he'd said it _while _he was getting up to take it out, or else it wouldn't have worked. He smacked her arm, the gun falling out of her hands and landing just feet from them. Vastra shot out her tongue, hitting it across the room. The Doctor grinned triumphantly. "I don't know why I explained that either!"

His grin quickly turned into a sour look directed towards the ganger. "Grab her," the Doctor ordered. The ganger tried to run, but Vastra and John had her. "First, med bay. Second, answers from Ganger Pond. Third, get rid of the Silence, and _fourth_, close that crack and go home. Sound like a plan, everyone?"

Everyone nodded, Rory helping the Doctor and Amy down the hall as Vastra and John escorted the ganger. John muttered, "I don't remember the Doctor making so many plans before. Suppose you _can_ teach an old dog new tricks."

The Doctor almost responded, but he was in no mood to joke around right now. Ganger Amy had given him answers, but not enough. He wanted to find out what was happening to Amy, to save her and everyone that he had brought to this place. And he wanted to close that damn crack in time.

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	38. There's Something Growing

**Hello, all! I know I took a bit more time. I was out of town and college just started back up, BUT I've been working on the story as much as possible, and this one IS a bit longer than the more recent ones(: Hang in there, 'cause we're getting to the end! **

**The title of this chapter is actually NOT from a song. I was too lazy to filter through my Spotify :P It's actually a hint of things to come though, soooo love me anyways?  
><strong>

**Reminder: I own nothing. All the characters in this chapter belong to BBC, Steven Moffat, and Russell T. Davies. Another reminder: I give sneak peeks to those that review! Doesn't gotta be long or heartfelt. I just like to know there's still interest! Better let you get to the story now, right? ALRIGHT. ENJOY!**

The Doctor could feel the regeneration energy building up inside him from the bullet wound on his lower abdomen. It was worse than the Doctor had let on, and he was sure that Martha knew, given the looks she kept giving him. The regeneration energy would heal his wound fast enough, but he didn't want to change, not now. He had so many things to deal with that changing bodies seemed so inconvenient, though it would go along with the pattern of his previous regenerations.

He winced as Martha looped the bandage around his waist once more. It was pointless, but she already had Mickey patched up by the time they got to her, and there was nothing she could immediately about Amy's condition. With the amount of veritoxin in her system, it would take days to fully detox her. It might even kill her, her human body unable to handle the rapid changes, though her body could be stronger than they thought. After all, it was still alive despite how dead she should be.

"I don't have anything more to tell you," Ganger Amy sighed, frustrated.

Except she did, and there were three people that could tell when Amy was lying. Most of the time, anyways. Her husband, her Doctor, and herself.

"Why did they poison me?" Amy asked, "Just tell me what good it was going to do. If they wanted me dead, they wouldn't have wasted all that time!"

"They didn't poison you," Ganger Amy replied.

"_Then what's wrong with me_!" Amy shouted. She'd given up on keeping her emotions in check, even with Melody standing in a corner, her machine gun held in her small hands protectively.

"If you love Melody, and if you love Rory, you'll do what I couldn't." Ganger Amy tried to take a step forward, her eyes staring into her original. "You have to kill him, and you have to get out of here. Go back to your family, Amy."

"The Doctor is _part _of my family, don't you understand?" Amy asked, "I won't ever hurt him. _Not. Ever_."

"Like you did when you flaunted Rory around him?" Rory and the Doctor both tensed. Rory didn't know. He had an idea, a suspicion as he always had, but neither the Doctor nor Amy had ever told him the truth, had always told him it was just his silly jealousy and insecurities getting in the way.

"Stop-" the Doctor tried.

"I have her memories too!" Ganger Amy cried, "Remember Space Florida, Doctor? Or how about sitting on top of those bunk beds after Rory'd been eaten up by the crack? From the very beginning… You think I can't look back and see how you looked at her? At me?"

"You're not me!" Amy argued.

"Amy, what is she talking about?" Rory asked, pulling away from his wife, "You never told me anything about Space Florida."

She opened her mouth, then shut it. The words were there, the truth trying to burst out from between her lips. "I… Yes, I did," she said nervously, "Remember? The place with the automatic sand."

"But you never told me anything _happened_ there!"

"_Stop_!" the Doctor ordered. He wanted to tell Rory everything, but now was _not _the time. Now they had to focus on other things. Like the crack in time, the Time Lords coming through, Amy dying. "I'm a little busy trying to save all of our friends and the entire universe, so it would be _greatly _appreciated if _you_-" He looked towards the ganger. "Shut up. And _you_-" To Rory. "Ignored her."

Martha finished wrapping up the Doctor, giving him an unsure look. He knew she was trying not to judge him, to imagine that her dear friend was a homewrecker that destroyed a marriage. But she didn't know the other side that Ganger Amy wasn't saying. That Amy and the Doctor had also just been friends at one point, had _tried _for so long to stay just that. He had resisted her more than he thought he could, had tried to help Amy's marriage with Rory even when he was so overcome with jealousy that he couldn't see straight. She didn't know that Rory had found happiness elsewhere, with a woman with a small nose and brown hair, and a daughter named Lily. That Amy had never really wanted the domestic life as it was. She had been dreaming of running across galaxies since she was seven years old. He gave her a small smile back, pressing his lips together from just _saying _all that right then and there.

The Time Lord hopped off the medical table, clapping his hands together. "So, it seems my old friends miss me," he said, "We need to get the Silence away from that crack so I can shut it."

"You can't-" Ganger Amy protested.

"And seeing as you shot me," the Doctor continued, ignoring that she was even trying to speak, "You owe me a favor in the form of helping me save Amy and all my friends." His voice got lower, his eyes darker. "Then _maybe _I'll think about holding Vastra back from filling your body with poison and letting you die a slow and painful death yourself, understood?"

"Give me Melody," Ganger Amy replied, her voice just as low. She would not show him her fear. "I just want my child. I tried to give you a merciful death. Let the Silence do what they will to you."

"You're not having Melody," Amy said incredulously, "That's _my _daughter."

"You want to spend the rest of your days traveling through space with a dangerous alien," Ganger Amy pointed out, "That's no life for a child, even one that's half Time Lord. Besides, you've got only a couple of hours left in you anyways _at best_."

"Rory will take her," Amy shot back, angry tears filling her eyes. She was trying to forget that she was dying.

"No, he won't. You saw what his ending is like." It was only Lily there. No Melody. Amy grit her teeth. _Time can be rewritten_. As long as they were careful not to ruin Rory's happy ending too.

"What?" Rory asked, the only one answering. It seemed that every time someone opened their mouths, he only had more questions.

"John, I need you to stay behind with Melody." The redhead ignored both her husband and her clone. Melody made a sound of protest, but Amy talked over her. "I don't care if she's a trained killer or not. She's still my little girl, and she's not going out there."

John nodded. "Okay."

Martha looked to Rory. "I have to go get more soldiers. Mickey has to stay here too, but I need someone to cover me. Are you still-"

"I'll do it," Madame Vastra volunteered, "Rory can guard the trickster. Jenny is out there, and the tension in here is giving me the urge to kill a few things. I'd rather it be something _not _on our side."

"Great," the Time Lord nodded, "Except Amy, you're staying here, and John you're coming with me." Now it was Amy's turn to protest. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders and looked at her softly. "I don't have time to argue. I'm sorry, but I've only just got you back, Pond." He kissed her forehead. "Besides, you're going to slow us down. You're weak."

"Yeah, and you're an idiot," Amy grumbled.

The Doctor smirked. "And now that there's veritoxin filling your entire body, I know you really mean it. But I need John. He's the closest thing I've got to another Time Lord mind. Besides the angry ones on the other side of that crack."

"Don't leave me alone again," Amy whispered, barely audible over the noise of everyone else talking and getting into the right groups, but the Doctor heard it. Immediately, the redhead looked away to hide her blush, angry. She would _never _be this weak, begging the Doctor to stay behind with her. When the Angels had made her think that her hand turned to stone, Amy had begged the Doctor go _on_, to leave her behind. But now she didn't have the ability to say she was fine when she wasn't.

The Doctor's gaze softened, realizing this. Some people would find it refreshing and nice to have a moment like this, when someone who was so used to pretending she was strong finally revealed her weakness. But it wasn't right when it was forced, and the Doctor, the _biggest _fan of putting on strong facades, understood what it felt like to have that shield torn away from you. He wished he could reach out and touch her like he wanted, but he knew that Rory was in the room, and they couldn't do that here. Not now when they needed to be focused on so much more.

"I'll come back," he replied gently, reminding Amy of the truest thing about their relationship, "I always come back."

Amy could have argued, could have said that, yes, he always did come back, but almost never at the right time. She could say that everyone's luck ran out sometime, and she was afraid of this being _his _moment when the luck ran out. But the Doctor was leaving to save the day, and there was no way that she was going to get him to stay and watch on the sidelines. So, for the sake of getting out of Trenzalore as quickly as possible, she kept her mouth shut, her eyes trained on her white slippers.

She could hear them all start to leave, Vastra and Martha off to find more of the wounded, and then the Doctor, Amy II, Rory, and John off to fight their way over to the crack in the wall. They all had their eyes on her at one point or another, Amy could feel it. Rory's yearning to understand what was going on with her as he murmured "See you soon," to his wife and daughter, the Doctor's anxiousness as he muttered something to Mickey that probably had something to do with watching after Melody and Amy, which was ridiculous seeing as he was recuperating from his own injuries.

Amy couldn't believe this, couldn't believe that after all this time waiting and carving messages to Doctor all throughout history, he was leaving her again. Most of all, she couldn't believe she wasn't used to it by now.

* * *

><p>The two groups split up, Vastra and Martha heading back down to the battle, while the rest of them started walking the opposite way, already using the comm unit to tell Jack that the Doctor needed to find a room that was probably the most heavily guarded from the <em>outside<em>.

"There's one five floors up," Gwen reported, Jack having gone out to do some fighting. Apparently he felt too itchy sitting around with so much immortality to waste. "If you're by the TARDIS, head east. There's an elevator not too far from you. I'll power it up for you."

The four followed her directions, keeping their eyes out for the Silence. Rory had his gun readied, as did the Doctor with his screwdriver. Amy II wasn't to be trusted with guns after having shot one of the people in the current party, and John, though not actually the Doctor, still held the same principles about dealing with guns.

"Just give me my gun," Amy II sighed for the millionth time. She tried appealing to Rory, jutting out her lower lip.

The Doctor looked back just in time to see that it was actually _working _on him. "Oi! Eyes front, soldier," he said, then pointed down to his gunshot wound, "Or have you already forgotten, Mr. Pond?"

Rory blushed furiously, but his eyes shifted from Amy II. "Sorry!" he apologized, "It's just… Been a while." Four months to be exact, and while Amy hadn't promised to come back, he had promised to wait. It was nothing to two thousand years, but it still had its effects on him. Rory just wanted Amy back, and this Amy… While she wasn't his wife, really, she was a copy. And this copy really did seem done with the Doctor and life on the TARDIS. In Rory's mind, that had to mean something, that those thoughts were copied from Amy's own mind. They could take Melody out of this place, go back to their own time, and finally live their own lives. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

They reached the end of the hallway, following a sign written in the language of the Trenzalorans that the Doctor assured meant was for an elevator. In reality, he'd never actually heard of the Trenzalorans, so he didn't know the language. But it was an educated guess, and a correct one at that.

The elevator was humming with power by the time they reached it, thanks to Gwen. When they got in, there were already too many floors, a quarter of them basement levels. John rang the Torchwood team once more. "We're in," he told Gwen.

"I know, there's a camera in there," she replied over the comm unit, and just as she said so, the four looked up in the corner and saw a small camera moving around. "You're all alive; that's good! So, you're going to want to go to the 2nd basement. I'm looking at the room right now. It's just… Weird."

"Weird?" John asked, exchanging looks with the Doctor and Rory. Amy II was shrunken back against the wall. Her fears were copied from Amy's, meaning that dread that'd been there since her childhood was still there every single time she even _thought_ about that crack in time, let alone actually approaching it. "Weird _how, _exactly?"

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about," Gwen answered, sounding sincere but still curious, "It's just… There's _plants_ down there, somehow. They're growing something down there."

The Doctor frowned. It wasn't like Trenzalore didn't already have plants? There were fields on the outer parts of the city, and still trees to provide oxygen necessary for the Silence to survive with. Why do underground farming? John seemed to be wondering the same thing. "Great, I _love_ gardens," he said cheerily, "We'll have a look. Thank you, Gwen."

"Keep me updated." John nodded at the camera and then stuffed the comm unit back into his pocket.

He looked back at the Doctor, his voice no longer cheerful, suspicious. "What do you think they're doing down there?"

Amy II stood up straight, finally speaking. "He doesn't know," she answered for the Doctor, "And none of us have to worry except for him." Everyone in the elevator stared at her, but Amy II's face was not threatening. She looked sad. She looked _scared_. "Don't ask me what's down there. I might be wrong… But I really don't think I am."

* * *

><p>Amy had fallen asleep. It wasn't her fault. She hardly ever slept these days, and the TARDIS was <em>pretty <em>boring. Still, without anyone to talk to, it got even more boring for Melody. She had been set limits for how far she could go into the TARDIS, her mother forbidding her from going too deep into the depths of the time machine. Melody had heard tales about this place, how it was so much more than just "_bigger on the inside_." It was a whole _world_ inside, a live being with twisting turns and hallways that changed location every time you went 'round a corner. Rumors swirled around the universe about this magical box. That it was as dangerous as it was helpful. It all enticed the little girl, and as she ran her hand along the console, observing the twists and knobs and silly trinkets that adorned it, she could swear she thought she heard a _purr_ echoing throughout the orange and green-lit room.

She could hear someone calling to her from the med bay, his voice echoing down the hall. It was the man that was supposed to be guarding her and her mother, even though he was injured, himself. Melody couldn't quite remember his name, but she knew it started with an "M." It didn't make sense to her that _he'd _been given the gun and the authority. If anyone actually tried storming this place, it'd be Melody that would have the best abilities to fight them off and protect the wounded.

But what if Eliza was there? She was the only real friend Melody had had. Perhaps she could convince her that the Doctor wasn't so bad after all, that it'd be great to get away from this place and live on Earth, with Rory and Amy as her sort of step-parents and Melody as her step-sister. They could be her second family, the _only _family she had left.

Melody realized that she hadn't really told anyone about Eliza. Only her mother knew from months of watching them training and hanging out together, and for some reason that Melody did not know, Eliza and Amy just didn't like one another. If they were able to close the crack and escape the Silence, did that mean that Melody was going to have to leave Eliza behind? She couldn't do that, not to her best friend. Melody knew what it was like to get left behind by people who loved you, and she wouldn't do that to Eliza.

She ran to the door, ignoring the fact that Mickey's voice was getting closer, that her mother had woken up and was calling after her too. Melody would be back. First, she had to go find her friend.

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	39. The Truth Is What Killed Us

**Hey all! I know Christmas was yesterday (or two days ago for some of you, given your time zone) but... MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HERE HAVE A PRESENT! Hope you guys like the new chapter! **

**Decided not to do a song this time for the chapter title. Actually, I may put an end to that, haha. One thing I am continuing though is a sneak peek for anyone reviews. OH. And also, you guys should head over to .com. It's a new site for quality fanfiction and fanfiction writers (you need an invite to publish your own stories, but hit me up and I can try and invite you. I have like two more invites left). I've got The Girl Who Didn't Make Sense on there already and I am (slowly) putting this installment up(: **

**Anyways before we start, I just gotta remind you all that I own absolutely nothing(: All credit goes to BBC and Steven Moffat. Alright, guys! We're so close to the end, so just hang in there and... ENJOY!**

The room definitely _was _filled with plants. They were peculiar-looking things, but familiar. They were all a deep purple flecked with black, and had long, almost clear filaments that rose and curved up inches past the petals and into the air. Each filament was covered in big pieces of a faded violet-colored pollen, and topped with a large, dark anther that was almost black. In each pot, there was about four of these, and there were at least ten pots per row, a total of eight rows in the room.

"Be careful," Gwen said quietly over the radio, "There's guards just beyond the next door. In the room with the crack in time."

"These all look _really _familiar," Rory muttered, distracted. Amy II looked at them all as if they were disgusting.

"There were some out in the fields," the Doctor answered him, his tone irritated and short, "We'll look at the flowers _later_, Rory." There was something strange with the flowers still, but the Doctor was more distracted by the fact that the Time Lords were just beyond that wall. Well, two walls, counting the wall made up by space and time. John, too, was more distracted by this issue. Even if he wasn't really a Time Lord, he still remembered the childhood he had lived there, the war he had fought, the friends he'd lost, and the choices he'd made. And he knew how important it was that they close the crack.

Rory mumbled an insult under his breath, taking one last glance at the flowers. There was definitely something about them. They were beautiful, but… He just couldn't put a finger on why they made him feel so strange. He propped the gun back up, though the Doctor already had his sonic pulled out of his pocket. Rory could tell that he really didn't _want _Rory to use the gun, but it was a last resort, nonetheless, one that they'd need given the enemies they were fighting.

"Keep your eyes open," the Doctor ordered softly, "If you catch one of the Silence, point them out immediately." Him and John had the recorders in their hands, and markers, but Amy II and Rory did not. There'd be no way of knowing that they saw one of the Silence once they looked away.

Amy II rolled her eyes at the impossibility of this situation. She didn't know what her creators were going to do if they caught her. She had ruined their plans by not killing the Doctor, so it probably wasn't going to be anything good. "You can't just storm into that room with only your sonic screwdriver," she whispered furiously, "This is exactly where they _didn't _want you to go. It's going to be heavily guarded, ya numpties."

The Doctor was still angry with her, probably would until the bullet wound inside him stopped hurting. Martha had done well to bandage it, but the Doctor was still scared he might actually have to regenerate. "Don't underestimate the sonic," he replied, waving it about in his hand. Amy tried to grab for it, but the Doctor had reflexes. He smirked as she glowered. "Nice try, Ganger Pond." She cocked an eyebrow and headed back over to the flowers, her fingers dragging over a few of the plants. The Doctor returned his attention back to the door.

"So, we're just going to storm in?" Rory asked.

"Do we have any options?" John returned.

The Doctor scratched his nose, feeling tingling on the inside of his nostrils. "No, but it is scary, isn't it? I'm scared. They've got _firearms_ in there! How are supposed to compete with that?" he asked, his voice thick with worry, and his face twisting up into a childlike expression of fear.

"Doctor?" Amy II asked innocently, placing her hand flat onto the table's surface, "Is something wrong?"

The Time Lord narrowed his eyes, staring at the redhead. She was up to something definitely, but whatever it was, he didn't quite know yet. "Well, yes, there's loads wrong," he answered, "The Time Lords are coming back, the Silence is trying to kill all my friends, Amy is dying, and I failed her, once again, because of _you_."

Rory looked at the two. "Doctor, I think it was a rhetorical question."

"I know," the Doctor frowned, "I'm figuring that out, too." He didn't take his eyes off Amy II for a second, still glaring at her suspiciously until his mood suddenly switched, eyes wide and his body twirling back around to face the door. "Right! We need to get to through that door. Blimey, got a bit distracted there. Alright! So! John, ring the lovely Gwen up one more time, will you?"

John was already grabbing at the comm unit. "And what exactly do we need from her?"

"I want to see if she can hack into the Silence's communication system."

* * *

><p>"How are there so damn <em>many <em>of them?" Vastra hissed, shooting another man down. She didn't know how many she'd taken out. More than 10… And yet these apes and other alien creatures poured out from every hallway, guns aimed at them. They were like rats. "They must have recruited half the _universe_!"

Jenny didn't look at her wife, facing the opposite way as she kicked a soldier straight in the chest. Her face and hands were covered in tally marks, the recording device implanted in her hand glowing bright red. How many of _those _Silence members she'd killed, Jenny wasn't sure, and she never would be. "It's almost over, Miss!" she insisted, trying to remain hopeful.

Everyone had been sent an update from Mickey in the TARDIS about what was going on, and Vastra and Martha had gotten Jenny up to date about everything once they got there. They couldn't leave until the Doctor closed that crack in time, and so the ones still alive kept fighting on. They were all soldiers now, and they'd follow their orders. Still, Jenny couldn't help but hope that he finished soon. She'd seen a lot of people from their side already die. Most of the WWII officers had died. As much as they were used to war, they were very _unused _to the alien warfare. Only a few of the best remained. As for the pirates, Jenny commended them. Not a single one of them had died, though she had no idea where they were anymore. They had run off down the halls, _looking _for the fights before they got to the main corridor by the control room.

She knocked another man out with a kick to his head, stealing his gun and shooting the woman right behind him. _Any minute now_… Jenny told herself. She wasn't sure how much longer she had in her.

"All security personnel!" The radio comms of all the soldiers, dead and alive, came to life with a familiar voice. "Our soldiers are losing force. Switch to the offensive! Go, that's an order!"

The soldiers fighting in the corridors ignored it. They were already doing their fighting. "_This _is them losing force?" Jenny asked weakly, finally starting to feel that exasperation. There were still hordes of them coming in... But when she found a break, she turned to her wife, who only shook her head and laughed. "_What_?!"

"Gwen, darling," she answered, "Don't you recognize her voice?"

Jenny blushed from embarrassment, replying hotly, "No, but good to know _you've _been spending enough time with her to."

Vastra laughed, planting a quick kiss upon her lover's lips before smacking her opponent in the head with the butt of her gun. "I love it when you get jealous!"

* * *

><p>Rory stood near the door, back pressed against the wall just in case he needed to knock someone out. Meanwhile, John was under one table, the Doctor and Amy II under the other. The room was completely silent save for the sound of voices, muffled through the wall. Rory put his ear against the wall, nodding. "They got it," he whispered. Though Rory couldn't exactly hear what they were saying, he could still recognize Gwen's voice coming through a radio. And then the arguing began, over whether they should leave or not. "Think they're talking it out with her."<p>

"Great, now let's all shut up," the Doctor whispered back, which got a sigh and an eye roll from Rory. And yet he contradicted himself. He didn't even look at the redhead beside him, but she knew it was her that the Doctor was addressing. "You know what's wrong with Amy."

Amy II sighed. "No, I don't."

"You know _more than you're saying_," the Doctor corrected. Her face had looked far too smug before. He felt so close to all the answers he needed, but he was so distracted with the fact that the Time Lords were trying to get through that the Doctor's brain felt like it was being stretched out too thin, pulled in every direction Trying to get his friends out of here, saving the universe, saving _Amy_. And once and for all, ending the Silence.

Amy II gave the Doctor a hard look. She _did _know something he didn't. "I know Trenzalore," she said, "You would too if you ever researched where you were going, Stupid." Unlike her original, Amy II was having a far less difficult time at hiding her emotions and keeping up the tough act, which she so desperately needed. It was bad enough that her best friend hated her and her daughter was in the clutches of her original. She wouldn't be like the other. Amy II would prove she was the stronger one.

Plus, she liked being the one that knew more.

"Look, Doctor," she whispered, "You need to focus on the crack in the wall."

"Amy's life is important, too," he argued.

"Not as important as the whole bloody universe!"

_She is to me_. The Doctor almost said it, but it was exactly what Rory had said too, so long ago on a timeline that never happened. When the universe had ceased to exist. He shook his head, wanting to say that she was, but the Doctor knew that Amy II would win that fight if he attempted it. He'd let go of so many things he loved in order to save the universe, the Time Lords a prime example. "She's important," he said instead through gritted teeth, "And I'll find out exactly what they did to her."

Amy II just shook her head. "You need to focus. The _last _thing we need is you being emotional."

It was hard to remember that she wasn't the real Amy when she acted and spoke like her. Amy had the same view to the Doctor getting emotional in situations. They always fouled him up. But that didn't stop him from feeling worried anyways.

Rory's eyes widened suddenly, his head moving away from the wall, and he darted underneath the table with John just as the soldiers started to come out. The four stayed absolutely still, listening to the guards grumble about leaving.

"Hanson!" one of them called, who seemed to be the leader of the group. He pointed to a man standing straight and looking ahead, the picture perfect soldier ready to receive his commands. "We'll go up and see what's goin' on, eh? You stay behind. We're not leavin' that room unguarded, understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Hanson answered, saluting before putting both hands back on his gun.

"The box is still under surveillance, but keep the door open and stay stationed where you are," the commander continued, the other soldiers heading to the elevator, "We'll keep you updated. I advise you do the same."

"Yes sir!"

The Doctor, Amy II, John, and Rory all exchanged looks with one another, all asking one another when it'd be a good time to reveal themselves, and what to do with the guard that was left behind. It soon grew quieter, the footsteps fading into the hallway. Amy II looked at Rory pointedly, tilted her head toward the guard, then Rory's gun and made a motion with her hand as if she was hitting someone with something. "_Whack him_!" she mouthed.

"_No way!_" Rory mouthed, shaking his head. The moment he'd get up, the soldier would see him and shoot him on sight.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and John both had their own silent conversation. John pointed at the sonic screwdriver in the Doctor's hand and then pointed to the soldier. He nodded, and then John turned to Rory. "Okay, Rory, when I say 'now,' you-"

"Who's there!" Hanson called out, "Don't think I can hear your whisperin'?" Their eyes grew wide and they all stared at each other before the Doctor finally came to his senses, turning on his sonic and pointing it straight up at the table. All it did was make one of the plants fall off and land between the two tables they were under. Still, it did the trick. "What the-"

Hanson's footsteps grew louder as he approached. "Come out!" he cried, seeing Amy and the Doctor sitting underneath the table. "I'll give you two seconds before I shoot you both in the head."

"_NOW_!" John shouted. And before Hanson had even begun to turn his body around, Rory was up, hitting him square in the back of the head, a shocked expression on his face as his victim fell to the ground with a thud. Amy II squealed, recoiling back, as he only fell a couple inches shy of hitting her and the table. The Doctor had to admit his two hearts were racing pretty badly as well.

They sat there for just a moment, stunned and staring down at Hanson. The Doctor moved out from underneath the table and started to scan him with the sonic screwdriver. "Still alive," he breathed, relieved. He hated violence of any sort, but it wasn't like he hadn't knocked someone out before. And this time it wasn't even technically him. "Great, let's go."

"Wait…" Rory murmured, his brow furrowed in confusion. He knelt down, examining the plant carefully, "Oh!"

"Rory, we don't have time for this," the Doctor sighed. He was feeling anxious now, looking towards the door every couple of seconds. It was like he could hear them whispering already, the voices of millions of Time Lords calling out to the man that had condemned them all to an eternal war. The Doctor felt both happy and sad, angry and curious. Most of all though, he just felt guilty. He'd been running from this problem for centuries, and he would have continued had it not been for the kidnapping of Amy, for the Silence bringing him here. He wanted to close the crack in time, but just _talking _to one of his own kind was tempting to the Doctor, tempting enough to consider the option of figuring out a way to bring them back and stop the Time War completely.

But Rory was epiphany. "The flowers, though!" he replied, not paying attention to anything else. This was a rare time in which the Doctor was more clueless than him. "Amy, they're the flowers from the book!" He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to reply to him and say that she knew what he was talking about. But she didn't. She just looked nervously at them.

"Book?" John asked. He too was more worried about the Time Lords coming back, but he still had the Doctor's curiosity in him and less of an attachment to the Time Lords seeing as he really wasn't one at all. "Well, I didn't take you two for the botany type."

Rory shook his head. "I'm not. But we got lost in a library before we met up with everyone," he explained. Before he found out that he was with an assassin-clone version of Amy. "It was in the science section. Near some technology and biogenetic stuff." He didn't mention the dead, dusty, mummified bodies of the last living species on this planet that had littered the floors.

"Great! But that doesn't matter, does it?" the Doctor snapped, "You heard that soldier. This _Hanson _fellow is supposed to check in with him. _They're coming back_. And I would _really _like it if we dealt with this bloody crack before they got here!"

Amy II stepped forward. She still looked nervous, and crossed her arms over her chest. The cat was out of the bag now, and she knew she had to tell him before he went into the room. Before he destroyed them all. "Doctor… This _matters_." She looked to Rory and nodded towards the Time Lord, who looked very irritated but still _very _intrigued. "Tell him what the book was called, Rory. Tell him what it said on the page." She'd known what it was the whole time. Amy II knew Trenzalore. Everyone working with the Silence did.

"Uhhhhh," Rory replied slowly, trying to think of what he'd seen in the pages that he had glimpsed in. He could see that the Doctor was growing impatient and cleared his throat. "_The Truth: Our Next Big Weapon_?" It came out sounding more like a question but Amy II nodded in reassurance. "I don't know, I guess a Trenzaloran scientist guy made it? They talked about genetical engineering and biowarfare. I guess it's like some sort of truth pollen they used to interrogate war prisoners."

* * *

><p>"<em>A truth toxin? … A very useful method for bio-warfare. Definitely not a human substance.<em>"

"_They tried to use it in WWIV, using gas chambers. The humans couldn't handle it. They died within a few minutes, and that was just with low doses. Amy has five times that._"

"_It doesn't matter! I sealed them off before, I can do it again!"_

"_The password-_"

"_I won't say it!_"

_"You won't have a choice_!"

"_No one's sure how, just that there was one lone survivor, who was absolutely mental. And he died shortly after making it to the neighboring planet._"

"_So, Dr. Jones, what did the old lunatic say?_"

"_I… Well, it took a while to translate from the files we got it on, but it says something along the lines of '_The truth is what killed us.'"

* * *

><p>And then everything started to click, the Time Lord's mind racing, the rate of his two hearts picking up.<p>

"Veritoxin…" the Doctor mumbled, only proved right with the fact he hadn't even meant to say the word aloud. It was quiet enough to almost escape everyone else's ears, but they still heard and looked at the man curiously. But he just kept imagining his and Amy's outbursts… And the meadows that were _filled _with these very same flowers. "These are veritoxin plants."

_Truth pollen_.

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